Image source, Getty Images
Image caption, England captain Ben Stokes is playing for Durham for the first time in almost two years
Ben Stokes needed just eight deliveries to claim his first wicket on his return to action, as Durham faced Worcestershire in the Rothesay County Championship Division Two match at New Road.
Opening the bowling, the England captain had Worcestershire opener Dan Lategan caught behind off the second ball of his second over. Later, returning after a rain delay, Stokes bowled Adam Hose for 59 with his first delivery back.
Playing for the first time since the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney in January, Stokes bowled three spells—two of four overs and one of six—finishing with figures of 2-40 from 14 overs. Worcestershire reached 209-7 from 66 possible overs, recovering from 52-4 thanks to Hose’s 59 and skipper Brett D’Oliveira’s 41.
Stokes had been sidelined after suffering a quad injury in the final Test of England’s 4-1 Ashes defeat. After returning to the UK, he also sustained a broken cheekbone when hit by a ball while coaching the Durham academy, requiring what he described as “pretty major facial surgery.” He missed Durham’s first four matches of the season and had targeted the New Road trip as his comeback ahead of England’s first Test against New Zealand starting June 4.
With fellow England international Matthew Potts rested, Stokes took the new ball for only the fifth time in his first-class career. Looking lean and energetic, he bowled with pace and bounce from the start. Two balls into his second over, he enticed left-hander Lategan to edge to wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson.
At the other end, Ben Raine removed Jake Libby at second slip, then took a catch off his own bowling after Gareth Roderick edged onto his pad. When Kashif Ali slapped Luke Robinson to cover, Worcestershire were in trouble. However, Hose and D’Oliveira rebuilt either side of lunch, with Hose dropped on 28 by Aldridge off Raine.
Stokes showed frustration when he drifted onto Hose’s pads for a boundary. After Worcestershire gained momentum, Stokes was rested—a sign of careful management. Two rain interruptions followed, the first lasting nearly two hours. Upon resumption, Stokes struck immediately, bowling Hose as he played late, prompting a celebratory wheel away.
Some have touted Stokes as a new-ball option for England, given his ability to find movement through the air. The captain’s performance on this comeback day demonstrated his sharpness and impact.
