Cook salutes Stokes as England seal dramatic win

LONDON: England captain Alastair Cook hailed the impact of Ben Stokes as his side completed a stunning 124-run win against New Zealand in the first Test at Lord’s.
The hosts had been 134 runs behind on first innings yet, with Cook making 162 and Stokes powering his way to an 85-ball century, the fastest-ever Test hundred at Lord’s, they set New Zealand 345 to win on Monday’s fifth and final day.
It proved too much for the Black Caps, who collapsed to nought for two and 12 for three.
Then Stokes — born in Christchurch, New Zealand, but brought up in Cumbria, northern England — struck twice in two balls to reduce the tourists to 61 for five as the lively seamer captured the key wickets of first-innings century-maker Kane Williamson and Black Caps skipper Brendon McCullum.
“Ben Stokes played an innings of the like I’ve never seen before,” said Cook. “We had a hundred lead when he came in, and when he was out two hours later it was about 270 and I’d scored 10 of them!”
Stokes also made 92 in England’s first innings, having come in when his side were in desperate trouble at 30 for four, and Cook added: “We’ve just got to keep backing him and he’ll be a tremendous cricketer.”
England came into this match on the back of a disappointing 1-1 series draw in the Caribbean, a result that led to the sacking of coach Peter Moores.