The Albany Gazette - Stokes 'content' after extraordinary England exit

The 35-year-old all-rounder confirmed his exit shortly before tea on the fourth day of the ongoing third Test against New Zealand in Nottingham, having informed his teammates before the start of Sunday's play.

Stokes was in the middle of a lengthy bowling spell, with the three-match series all square at 1-1, when news filtered into a stunned crowd at Trent Bridge.

He then received a standing ovation and in a moment of pure sporting theatre, Stokes had Zak Foulkes caught at slip with his next ball to spark yet more raucous cheers.

Stokes -- normally a middle-order batsman -- then came out to open the innings in a move that summed up England's aggressive 'Bazball' since he joined forces with England head coach Brendon McCullum in 2022.

England, however, faced a stiff target of 373 and, after Stokes fell for a typically blazing 30, three more batsmen were dismissed before stumps as England closed on 103-4 -- still needing 270 more to win on Monday's final day.

"I'm pretty happy and content with everything I've managed to do," Stokes told Sky Sports.

"I've captained, I'm an Ashes winner, I've won a 50-over World Cup, a T20 World Cup. I've also had the opportunity to captain the team and play alongside some of the best players to have played the game."

Sunday's bombshell announcement came after Stokes returned to England duty following the fall-out from a London nightclub incident also involving teammate Gus Atkinson earlier this month.

The pair were omitted from a 253-run defeat in the second Test at the Oval for breaking a midnight curfew while celebrating England's win in the first Test.

Stokes, however, was cleared to lead England at Trent Bridge.

England's 4-1 Ashes series loss in Australia, concluded in January, was also marred by allegations of a drinking culture.

- 'Drains you' -

"Since the Ashes it's been really tough," said Stokes, appointed England skipper in 2022.

"It's the best thing I've ever been asked to do, captain this team and captain this country... As good as it is, there are bits where it does drain you, and does affect you in an emotional way."

Stokes has been responsible for some of England's most remarkable performances since making his international debut 15 years ago.

His unbeaten 84 against New Zealand in the 2019 I50-over World Cup final at Lord's helped take the match into a Super Over in which England sealed a thrilling win.

And weeks later his extraordinary 135 not out guided England to a remarkable one-wicket win in the third Ashes Test against Australia at Headingley,.

Stokes is the only player other than retired South Africa great Jacques Kallis to have scored more than 7,000 runs, while also taking at least 250 wickets in Test cricket.

But he was also hit for four successive sixes by Carlos Brathwaite as the West Indies won the 2016 T20 World Cup final in Kolkata despite needing an unlikely 19 for victory off the last over.

Stokes's international career was in the balance, however, when he faced a criminal trial after a fracas outside a nightclub in Bristol, southwest England, following a 2017 one-day international against the West Indies.

He was ultimately found not guilty on a charge of affray but by then Stokes had missed an Ashes series loss in Australia.

Stokes played 120 of his 122 Tests alongside Joe Root, his predecessor as captain and a longstanding friend.

Root, speaking to reporters after Sunday's close, said Stokes would "be the first person on my team-sheet in terms of making moments and creating history".

Root, one of England's greatest batsmen, added: "He put every last bit into every game. He never shirked any kind of responsibility or left it to anyone else."

England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Richard Thompson hailed Stokes as a "talismanic figure", while McCullum said "Ben's contribution to the game transcends cricket".

(A.Johnson--TAG)