Watch: Ben Stokes announces his arrival by smashing 34 runs in an over at County Championship

Ben Stokes has been out with injuries for about a month. It had deferred his recovery to domestic competition, but on Friday he made an empathic return to professional cricket by breaking multiple domestic records.

Durham is used to dealing with floods at New Road but on Friday the famous old ground was hit by a hurricane. It went by the name Ben Stokes. Stokes scored a brilliant century in a domestic competition post his recovery. Stokes managed to grab a whole lot of 161 runs just off 88 balls which included a 34 run huge over in which he hit 5 sixes in a row and a four against 18-year-old left-arm orthodox spinner Josh Baker.

Among the 17 blows that surged over the rope was a flirtation with the elusive six sixes in an over, a feat only two men in firstclass cricket have achieved Sir Garfield Sobers in 1968 and Ravi Shastri in 1985. When Stokes sent the first five deliveries of Josh Baker’s 20th over into the crowd, bringing up a 64-ball century, a stillness fell over the stadium: could a third member be about to join this elite squad?

Nevertheless, Stokes duffed his connection with the final ball from Worcestershire’s 18-year-old left-arm spinner, resulting in a one-bounce four. Stokes recoiled in anguish at a lost opportunity, despite the fact that 34 runs had been seized

Prior to Stokes, only four other players in county championships had hit five sixes in an over. Stokes’ century was also Durham’s fastest. He accomplished his century with the fifth six of the over against Baker.

Here’s the video:

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This was Stokes’ first innings in First-Class cricket since being named full-time English Test captain. Previously, Stokes had retracted from IPL mega auctions following a catastrophic tour to the West Indies in order to concentrate on the longer version of the game. Stokes bowled more overs in a series than he ever had before.

This innings will offer him a sense of courage heading into the summer as he gears up to captain England against the best international sides such as India, New Zealand, and South Africa.