Have your say on England men this summer

Live Reporting

by Mike Peter

  1. Isn't the first time I've posted this video, won't be the last.

    'That's exactly why he's a great!' - Stokes' first ball delivered in retirement

  2. new ball

    NZ 265-8

    After one ball of Josh Tongue's over, England decide to take the new ball.

    The seamer delivers three dot balls with the new cherry before Ben Sears takes two through mid-off.

    Ben Stokes the man chasing the ball down.

  4. NZ 262-8

    Shoaib Bashir rattles through a quieter over - a couple of singles from it.

    This partnership is worth 38.

  5. Alex Hartley
    Former England bowler on Test Match Special

    I was shocked.

    I thought there might be change post Test match, but Ben Stokes was at the bottom of my list of things to change.

  6. Daniel Norcross
    Test Match Special commentator on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    I wouldn't say the news is overshadowing the game but it is contributing to the drama.

    Ben StokesGetty Images

  7. 'It won't hit home for a while'

    Michael Vaughan
    Former England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    It won't hit home for a while. It is a job that takes a few weeks for it to sink in that you're not England captain any more.

    He'll be focusing on this game and making sure that he gets the outcome for the team but I will be very interested to hear about why.

    Obviously his comeback, he's played brilliantly in this Test match with the ball and bowling his mammoth spells.

    Something's happened, we can't hide behind that fact.

  8. 6 runs

    NZ 260-8

    Lead by 344

    New Zealand have definitely upped their tempo since tea!

    Ben Sears slashes at Josh Tongue's delivery and sends the ball flying for four through third.

    Daryl Mitchell then ends the over with a big six over mid-wicket - that's 11 runs off the over.

  9. Get Involved

    Click 'Get Involved' at the top of this page to have your say

    To hear Ben Stokes retiring from international cricket has made me sad and upset. The best all-rounder since Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff. Thank you, Stokes. World Cup winner 50 overs 2019, Ashes win in Yorkshire in 2019 and T20 World Cup 2022.

    Chetan, Bolton

    Gone from shocked, to disbelief, and now sat between anger and tears. Can Brendon McCullum/Rob Key survive the fallout? Thank you for everything Stokesy.

    Adam, Aldridge

    Gutted for England but happy for Ben Stokes! Genuine happiness written all over his face when he was celebrating that wicket with his mates on the field. Time for him to start enjoying his cricket again, away from the ECB meat grinder.

    Ben, London

  10. 'The fire isn't burning any more'

    Michael Vaughan
    Former England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    When you're England captain, you have got to trust everyone who you are working with. Your players but also the management and the ECB.

    And I honestly think that there has been a lack of trust. I am now saying that is the only reason but all these things, the tough winter on and off the field, and he didn't seem like himself before the first Test at Lord's.

    The incident happens, and he's clearly had a fallout with the ECB and maybe that's part of the trust that he's lost in them but fundamentally, it sounds like he's just woken up and gone "Nope, the fire just isn't quite burning any more."

    If there has ever been a cricketer who has deserved this kind of finish and what he'll get tomorrow - regardless of the result - it is Ben Stokes.

  11. 'He hasn't got it in him any more'

    Sir Alastair Cook
    Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    Something has happened - I'm not saying since the Lord's thing - but in the past four or five months because his statement after the Ashes was all about how much it hurt him and he couldn't wait to lead the side forward.

    He's got one more year on his contract, one more big series to go again against Australia. I don't want to speak for him, and I haven't spoke to him, but it must just mean that he hasn't got it in him.

    Because the character is there, if he wants it. We've seen it in this game and at The Oval that he is the only one who can balance it as a world-class player and maybe he thinks that he can't be that player any more.

    You don't know what's happened, but I know that handing that cap back when you know that England still want you as their captain is a big, big thing.

  12. NZ 249-8

    Right between keeper and slip!

    Does that count as a drop? Ben Sears' edge off Shoaib Bashir bisected them perfectly, with the ball racing away for four.

    A further single for Ben Sears moves him to 10 from 17 balls.

  13. Get Involved

    Click 'Get Involved' at the top of this page to have your say

    Ben Stokes has repeatedly carried this team with herculean effort after herculean effort often to his own physical detriment and absolute pleasure to watch him play.

    Saul, New Milton

    Is it just me, or is that extremely egotistical, and frankly disrespectful, of Ben Stokes to make the announcement in that way? The captain should lead with humility and focus; but no, it’s all about him now, even though there’s potentially a fantastic end to a Test match afoot.

    Hakim, Chichester

    An absolute icon of the English game alongside Beefy. He gave everything for his country. He made the impossible possible. Thanks Ben.

    Paul, Northwich

  14. 'It's not just the player, it's the persona'

    Michael Vaughan
    Former England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    Last week, we saw the hole that he leaves in the team when he's not there.

    I guess England have got to move forward now - it's hard to say that when it's only just happened but England and the management will have to look at how they built a team without an all-rounder like Ben Stokes.

    And it's not just the player, the all-rounder. It's the persona. He's got a winning mentality, I have him right up there as one of England's greatest players when the pressure's on.

    There's not many who have coped with the pressure of an England jersey like Ben has. I am desperate for him to get a score in this second innings to just show us once more what it's like to chase a target.

  15. Jonathan Agnew
    BBC Chief Cricket Commentator on Test Match Special

    It must be quite an odd feeling in that dressing room.

  16. Stephan Shemilt
    BBC Sport cricket correspondent at Trent Bridge

    If you think about the moments that he has given English cricket, and British sport - the World Cup 2019, Headingley 2019, Sports Personality.

    This isn't how we all thought it would end but I suppose it is a very Ben Stokes way for it to end.

    How fitting that it comes during one of his marathon spells, he must be the first player to take a wicket straight after the announcement.

  17. NZ 241-8

    Daryl Mitchell, who has been rather timid in this innings, takes a big waft at Josh Tongue's first ball and sends it flying over the slips for four.

    He takes a single off the following delivery and Ben Sears sees out the rest of the over without scoring.

  18. Here it is, the magic moment.

    Ben Stokes takes the wicket of Zak Foulkes with the first ball after his retirement was announced to the crowd.

    'That's exactly why he's a great!' - Stokes' first ball delivered in retirement

  19. Jonathan Agnew
    BBC Chief Cricket Commentator on Test Match Special

    These massive characters in sport, which these all-rounders are. They have something that is a little bit special.

  20. 'This isn't how it was supposed to end'

    Stephan Shemilt
    BBC Sport cricket correspondent at Trent Bridge

    We're all stunned and surprised, but there were clues. If we were listening really closely on Wednesday, he was asked about his return to captaining this week and he said "this week" very specifically.

    He was pressed on it, but that's all he said. And then he was asked about the prospect of being an England player without being the England captain and he said "I don't know" if I could do that.

    My feeling about all of this, is that this isn't how it was supposed to end. We all thought that Ben Stokes would get to The Oval next year, against Australia, and lift the urn as an Ashes-winning captain and ride off into the sunset and that would be a fitting way for this remarkable career to end.

    He will go right up there in the list of greatest players to have ever played for England.