Ashes 2023: Perth to Lord's, top four Test knocks by Ben Stokes ft. 163-ball double hundred in Cape Town

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When the controversial run out dismissal of Jonny Bairstow took place, England captain Ben Stokes was batting on 62 off 126 balls. The southpaw soon shifted gears and almost emulated his Headingley feat in Ashes 2019.

Stokes counter-attacking innings saw him hit three consecutive sixes to reach his hundred off 142 balls. He did not stop there and continued smashing the Australia bowlers to bring up his 150 off 197 balls. Stokes was soon dismissed after top-edging a short delivery from Josh Hazlewood.

Lord's rose to its feet to applaud another epic by Ben Stokes. He walked off the field heartbroken. England lost later but Stokes emerged as a winner on the iconic venue. A look at top four Test knocks by Ben Stokes.

155 vs Australia at Lord's in Ashes 2023

The epic knock from Ben Stokes saw him take England from 193/6 in 52 overs to 301/7 in 72.1 overs. England fell 43 runs short of the 371-run chase.

With all the specialist batters back in the pavilion, Stokes took charge and blasted nine fours and nine sixes en route to his 214-ball 155.

135* vs Australia at Headingley in Ashes 2019

Bundled out for 67 in the first innings, England were in need of 359 runs to win in the fourth innings. England's number eleven in the match Jack Leach walked in middle and joined Stokes with England still in need of 73 runs.

Stokes held nerves and forged an unbeaten 76-run partnership off 62 balls for the last wicket as England sealed a famous 1-wicket win. Leach contributed one run off 17 balls in the partnership. His celebration after hitting the winning boundary through covers of Pat Cummins is one of the most iconic moments in cricket. Stokes scored unbeaten 135 runs off 219 balls in the second innings.

120 vs Australia at Perth in Ashes 2013

A young Ben Stokes showed the first glimpse of his brilliance and what was to follow in the future, when he fought a lone battle against Australia in Perth in 2013. England were all but out of the contest after being set a 504-run target.

To make things worse, they were reduced to 121/4 with the likes of Joe Root, Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen back in the hut. Stokes stood tall to score 120 runs off 195 balls. The innings consisted of 18 fours and a six. The hundred against the bowling attack consisting Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Ryan Harris was no mean feat. England lost but a start was born that day.

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After electing to bat first, England were four down for 167 when Ben Stokes walked in and slammed 258 runs off just 198 balls. These runs at this pace came against a bowling attack which included Morne Morkel, Kagiso Rabada and Chris Morris. The 163-ball double hundred is still the second-fastest in the history of Test cricket. The innings saw Stokes hit 30 fours and 11 sixes.