Ben Stokes was back to his rip-roaring best with a blazing hundred that would have had his late dad Ged purring.
His 11th Test ton did have the Kensington Oval crowd, including Sir Garry Sobers, rising in appreciation for just over three hours of fun and frolics. And once he reached three figures from just 114 balls, he removed his helmet and gloves, looked to the sky and bent his middle finger down in quiet reflection and thought about the father he lost just over a year ago.
It was the first hundred he had scored since then, and clearly meant a lot considering how much cricket he missed in 2021 due to a finger injury and to look after his mental health. "It was nice to get to the hundred and look up to the sky and remember him," said Stokes.
