England all-rounder Ben Stokes, who is currently leading his national side against West Indies in the absence of regular Test skipper Joe Root, has added another feather in his already illustrious cap by becoming the second-fastest cricketer to complete 4,000 runs and 150 wickets in the longest format of the game.
The 29-year-old achieved the feat during third day of the ongoing opening Test against the Caribbean side at the Rose Bowl Cricket Ground in Southampton on Friday.
Stokes, who had already surpassed 4,000 Test runs during the third Test against South Africa in January this year, was three wickets short off 150 wickets heading into the West Indies series.
Stokes removed opener Kraigg Brathwaite (65), Shane Dowrich (61) before dismissing Alzarri Joseph (18) to achieve the feat.
He eventually finished with figures of four 49 as England bundled out West Indies for 318 in reply to their first-inning score of 204.
By achieving the feat in 64 Tests, Stokes became the second-fastest to do so after West Indies’ Gary Sobers–who completed this unique double in 63 matches.
Overall, the England all-rounder has become the sixth cricketer in the history of the longest format of the game to complete 4000 runs and 150 wickets in Tests.
Besides Stokes and Sobers, former cricketers namely England’s Ian Botham, India’s Kapil Dev, South Africa’s Jacques Kallis and New Zealand’s Daniel Vettori are the others have also achieved the feat.
At the time of filing of this report, England have taken a lead over West Indies after crossing 200-run mark in their second innings on the fourth day of the first Test in Southampton.
Source: Zee News