Ben Stokes registered his first Test hundred as skipper, enabling England to register a solid 264-run first-innings lead in the ongoing second Test against South Africa at Old Trafford. He scored a fluent 103 off 163, with Ben Foakes too, playing his part with an unbeaten 113 – his second Test hundred as England responded with a strong 451/9 declared in response to South Africa’s first innings effort of 151 all-out.
The visitors were 23/0 by the end of day’s play, still trailing by 243 in their second innings. Anrich Nortje struck twice early in the day, sending back Jonny Bairstow (49) and Zak Crawley (38) within a space of two overs to reduce England to 147/5.
Foakes then joined forces with Stokes in a 173-run seventh-wicket stand in 53.4 overs. Stokes struck six fours and three sixes before falling to Kagiso Rabada, while Foakes innings included nine hits to the fence.
Stuart Broad, Ollie Robinson and Jack Leach added some quick runs with Foakes to help England cross the 400-run mark. Nortje was the pick of South Africa bowlers, returning 3/82, while Rabada and Keshav Maharaj bagged two wickets each.
Stokes became the 33rd England captain to register a Test hundred in his seventh Test in the role, the sixth in a full-time capacity since taking over from Joe Root before the ongoing summer. He had first led England – in Root’s absence – in the first Test against West Indies in Southampton in July 2020.
The captain aggregated 194 runs at 48.50, while striking at 82.55 in the three-match series against New Zealand, and scored 25 in the lone innings he batted against India at Edgbaston. He has also bagged 13 wickets in the ongoing home season.
