England captain Ben Stokes, who started his illustrious career at Cockermouth, has stunned the cricket world by announcing his international retirement while still playing in the Third Test against New Zealand.
This will be his last Test match and he was in the middle of a bowling spell at Trent Bridge when the statement announcing his decision was released.
As if on cue, with the first delivery after news of his retirement was made public, Stokes had New Zealand’s Zak Foulkes caught by Harry Brook at second slip.
It’s the timing of the news, while still playing in a Test match, which has most wrong-footed commentators, pundits and fans.
The 35-year-old missed England’s second Test after being involved in an incident in a London nightclub and before his return to leading the team in Nottingham, he did refer to ‘only leading the team this week’.
It has also been said that Stokes told his England team-mates of his decision before the start of today’s play in the deciding Test.
New Zealand born Stokes came to Cumbria aged 12 in 2003 when his father Ged joined Workington Town rugby league club as coach.
He went to Cockermouth School and soon joined the town’s cricket club at Sandair, deciding to concentrate on his cricket rather than rugby in which he had also shone.
His performances at Cockermouth came to the attention of the Durham county club and in 2009 he signed his first professional contract at the Riverside.
He has gone on to become on of the best all-rounders England has ever had with over 7,000 Test runs and almost 250 wickets.
England will name a successor, probably Harry Brook, for their next Test series against Pakistan which starts at Headingley in August.
