5 best Test innings of 2019

1. Ben Stokes (135* vs Australia, Headingley)

Ben Stokes innings at Headingley is regarded as one of the best ever

It was at this ground, in 1981, that Ian Botham produced an unthinkable turnaround along with Bob Willis to seal one of England’s greatest ever wins. Ben Stokes, who is considered the heir to Botham, produced something equally extraordinary in the 2019 Ashes Test here.

England were bowled out for 67 in their first innings. Chasing a target of 359 seemed very hard against a bowling attack of Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, James Pattinson and Nathan Lyon, all of whom were performing brilliantly.

Then, Stokes took center-stage. He played ultra-cautiously in the first part of his innings to steady his team’s progress. Then, when wickets started falling and Australia closed in on a victory that would have sealed the Ashes for them, he decided to launch a full-frontal assault.

At 286/9 the match seemed over, but Stokes never lost hope.

He shielded the No. 11 Jack Leach from the strike as much as possible by taking singles late in the over while smacking the bowlers in the early part. A missed run-out and a bad lbw decision worked in his favour in the penultimate over; destiny was on Stokes' side.

It was his amazing big-hitting – eight sixes – that brought his team to the doorstep of an amazing win. He achieved it with a boundary after sharing a last-wicket stand of 76 runs off 62 balls. Leach scored just one run off the 17 deliveries he faced.

The image of Stokes at the end of the match, standing at the center of the ground, will go down as one of the most iconic in English cricket history.