Stokes makes remarkable mid-match retirement call as New Zealand closes on series-clinching win

Audio By Carbonatix

NOTTINGHAM, England (AP) — England captain Ben Stokes made a stunning mid-match retirement announcement, took a wicket off his very next ball and was later dismissed for an explosive 20-ball 30 as an opener in his final test innings as New Zealand finished an extraordinary Day 4 of the deciding test in line for a series-clinching win.

One of the most remarkable days in the history of English cricket started with Stokes informing stunned teammates in the dressing room that he'd be retiring from international cricket after the match at Trent Bridge.

It ended with England unable to rally behind a call to arms from its captain of the past four years — “I’ve had many trips to the well before for this team,” Stokes said, “and I’ve got one more trip to do” — as New Zealand’s players left the field on the cusp of delivering one of the country’s great test series victories.

England reached stumps on 103-4 after 15 overs, still needing 270 runs in its seemingly forlorn chase of 373 to win on a deteriorating pitch and heading for a first defeat in a home series of three or more tests since 2012.

This match in Nottingham — with the series tied at 1-1 — will be better remembered for a dramatic exit from international cricket by Stokes, who had only just been recalled to the team after being dropped for the second test for disciplinary reasons.

About 15 minutes before tea and with New Zealand completely on top, an England statement was published out of the blue saying Stokes would be retiring from national-team duty at the end of the test. England Cricket posted a social-media video showing him making an emotional speech in the dressing room.

With his first ball after the announcement filtered out, Stokes sent down a delivery that was edged by New Zealand batter Zak Foulkes to second slip where the catch was taken by Harry Brook, the man likely to take over as England test captain.

It was quite the symbolic moment.

Stokes led the team to the dressing room at the end of the session to a standing ovation from fans and he ended up bowling a team-high 25 overs, taking 2-49. He was unable to dismiss Daryl Mitchell, who weathered repeated blows to the body to deliver a gutsy 100 not out and help New Zealand to 288-9 before captain Tom Latham declared.

Ten minutes later, the outgoing England captain was walking out with Ben Duckett after promoting himself to open the batting in the chase.

Determined to go out in a blaze of glory, Stokes slog-swept, scooped and smashed shots to the ropes in hitting two sixes and two fours in a 37-minute knock that was something of a blur and was cheered incessantly by the crowd.

The end came with England on 50-0, with Stokes flaying Foulkes to Mitchell at mid-on. Cue another standing ovation.

“We just didn’t want their bowlers to be able to settle,” Stokes said about his decision to open. “I likened it to going out there and just causing as much chaos as possible.”

Three more batters were dismissed, including Brook, who hit a six and a four off his first two balls before departing for 21. Foulkes had 3-42 off 5.5 overs.

Not since 1999 has New Zealand won a series in England of three tests or more but it is a huge favorite now to clinch a 2-1 win.

Joe Root was unbeaten on 9 and Emilio Gay was 6 not out. They are the only specialist batters left for England.

The English haven’t lost a home series of three tests or more since 2012. If they do, there would be more pressure on the team’s leadership after a humiliating 4-1 Ashes series defeat and subsequent concerns about its professionalism in the wake of the dropping of Stokes and Gus Atkinson for the second test for a disciplinary matter.

___

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket