England captain Ben Stokes has announced his bombshell retirement from international cricket with the curtain set to fall after the top of the continuing Test series against Latest Zealand.
Stokes issued a press release shortly before tea on day 4 of the decisive third Test against Latest Zealand, having informed his team-mates within the dressing room at Trent Bridge before the beginning of play.
Because the news broke, Stokes was in the midst of a mammoth bowling spell, with news filtering out right into a stunned crowd as he stood at the highest of his mark to start out an eleventh over.
The 35-year-old received a spontaneous standing ovation from all 4 corners of the group after which produced a quite remarkable piece of theatre – having Zak Foulkes caught at slip together with his next ball.
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PICTURES: Joe Giddens/PA
Cricket folklore
The fans roared in delight as the remainder of the team mobbed him in a moment that may live long in English cricket folklore.
The shocking development is available in the immediate aftermath of the disciplinary incident that unfolded earlier this month, involving Stokes and Gus Atkinson in a London nightclub.
He was stood down from the second Test on the Kia Oval while the England and Wales Cricket Board conducted an investigation into the episode.
He was later handed a written conduct warning but escaped any further censure and immediately returned to guide the side in Nottingham.
Speaking for the primary time because the saga began on Wednesday, he appeared to solid doubt over his long-term future, repeatedly specializing in the importance of the five days ahead.
Invited to make clear that he was not back within the side for one match only, he refused to achieve this.
Another trip
Informing his team that his long and storied England profession was coming to an end in the subsequent 48 hours, Stokes said in a clip shared by the ECB: “There’s something that I do know goes to occur over the subsequent two days, which is my last two days as your captain and my last two days representing England.
“Reasons can wait but I’ve had many trips to the well before for this team, for you blokes, for people beforehand and I’ve got yet one more trip to do.
“And the one thing that I ask, please, is can everyone please just do the identical?
“We’ve done a number of labor still to do, and the one thing that I need is to have the ability to walk off the top of that field whatever the result, knowing that I’ve had this group of men and one lady (fielding coach Sarah Taylor) give every part for the last two days.
“The one thing I need is just for everybody to present it not just for me, selfishly, but in addition for this team and every part else we’ve got going forward for you blokes.
“Let’s just go on the market and f***ing give absolutely every part for an additional two days because that’s my only intention and that’s where all my energy is straight away.
“(I’ve) got the emotional side out of it but now it’s time to go to work and everybody else, please just include me.”
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