Ben Stokes 135*: The Headingley Miracle, 2019 Ashes
England were bowled out for 67 in their first innings and needed 359 to win. With one wicket left they still needed 73. Ben Stokes got them.
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Match facts
| Competition | The Ashes, third Test |
|---|---|
| Date | 22 to 25 August 2019 |
| Venue | Headingley, Leeds |
| Result | England won by 1 wicket |
The story of the match
Joe Root and Joe Denly gave England a chance with half-centuries, but wickets kept falling. When Jack Leach walked out at 286 for 9, almost everyone assumed Australia would retain the Ashes.
Stokes, who had blocked for hours earlier in his innings, changed gear completely. He hit eight sixes, farmed the strike and left Leach to survive a handful of balls. Australia missed a run-out chance and, having used up their reviews, could not challenge an lbw shout against Stokes. He finished the match with a four through the covers.
Key moments to watch for
- England bowled out for 67 in the first innings
- Root and Denly’s half-centuries
- Stokes’s change of gear at 286 for 9
- Lyon’s missed run-out
- The winning boundary and Leach’s 1 not out
Why it’s one of the greatest cricket matches ever
The last-wicket stand of 76, with Leach contributing a single run, kept the series alive. Stokes made 135 not out, and many judges rank it as the greatest Test innings of the modern era.
More classic cricket matches
- Australia vs India: India Breach the Gabba, 2021
- Glenn Maxwell 201*: Australia vs Afghanistan, 2023 World Cup
- India vs South Africa: The 2024 T20 World Cup Final
See all 40 on our list of the greatest matches ever, or catch up on this season on the latest highlights page.
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