Stokes leaves to a hero's farewell... as English cricket collapses behind him

Veteran journalist Robert 'Crash' Craddock has called Ben Stokes decision to open the batting in his final Test as the "actions of an angry and frustrated man".

The England skipper bows out of international cricket after the third Test against New Zealand on Sunday, UK time.

Stokes announced his retirement mid-Test, almost immediately took a wicket after news broke, and then elevated himself to the top of the order for his final innings.

""You've got to go back to the punishment handed down to him for breaking a curfew, when he was dropped for a test, allegedly," Craddock explains.

"They thought that would gently nudge him towards resigning from the captaincy, but it went the opposite way, he challenged them, and he said behind closed doors... Harry Brook punched a bouncer in New Zealand and got no suspension whatsoever.

"I copped a game for being out beyond a meaningless curfew, which I wasn't even sure was in place because it was the end of a Test match.

"So, he came back into camp furious, he made up his mind before the test. He spoke to his family, I believe they had a corporate box organised... and finally the decision was announced to his teammates before play.

"The simple story is this is the actions of an angry and frustrated man.

"He opened the innings, went out and smashed 30 off 20 balls... he went crazy, and it was a display of self-indulgence and contrariness.

"He's an interesting guy, Ben, he's very emotional, he's tightly wound, he's rarely wrong in his eyes.

"I don't have that much sympathy for him because he did break that curfew after the first test victory... my heart doesn't bleed for Ben Stokes.

"What is absolutely beyond question, however, is the game's just lost such a showman.

"Michael Vaughan said it, he said he's only been retired three hours, yet cricket seems more boring already, and that's true.

"In the same manner as Andrew Flintoff and Ian Botham, he was just a gilt-edged box office gold."

Whateley reflects on Stokes' "legend" after odd retirement

The retirement of Ben Stokes and the way it has come about is all a bit “odd”, according to Gerard Whateley.

The 35-year-old all-rounder called time on his England Test career during the third Test against New Zealand on Sunday, UK time.

Whateley believes that English cricket will collapse behind Stokes as the hero bids farewell.

“Ben Stokes has retired from international cricket, revealing the Ashes drubbing here in Australia drains the fight from him,” said Whateley on SEN.

“A pugnacious, volatile and brilliant cricketer, Stokes got lost and disoriented in the progressive unraveling of the cult of Bazball.

“His final day of Test cricket will likely see him preside over a series defeat at the hands of New Zealand.

“Stokes' legend will forever reside in the miracle of Headingley 2019, ensuring his very mention will cause a tremor in the collective soul of Australian cricket.

“Ever the showman, his overnight announcement was made to the crowd at Trent Bridge while he was at the bowling crease and met with a standing ovation. He then immediately took a wicket.

“It was Stokes to a tee. The timing was weird, but momentarily he made it work.

“For good measure, the departing captain then opened the batting. It really was all about him.

“He smashed 30 from 20 balls before departing the scene one last time as England lost the wickets that will make any fifth-day heroics nigh on impossible.

“Stokes is a giant of the era, immensely skilful, lion-hearted, and deeply flawed. I feel a little sadness in how this has ended amid broken curfews, failed regimes, and collapsing legacies.

“Had the necessary and proportional action been taken after the Ashes debacle, perhaps he wouldn't have been lost to cricket. Maybe he might have made it to the last stand of next year's Ashes.

“But England has chosen a course of closing its eyes and pretending things aren't so. The delusion is destructive and collapses that hand.

“There'll be university courses dedicated to studying the folly of this phase of English cricket.

“An endeavour launched as a revolution, but now witnessing the fall of its leader.

“Ben Stokes left to a hero’s farewell, while the walls of English cricket collapsed behind him. It's all been very odd.”

Retiring Stokes tells stunned teammates of England decision

Stokes announced his retirement from international cricket on Sunday in the UK.

The England captain informed his teammates prior to play on Day 4 of the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge that this match will be his last.

Some look stunned as he revealed the news.

“The reasons can wait, why, but I’ve had many trips to the well before for this team, for you blokes, for people beforehand and I’ve got one more trip to do,” he said.

“The only thing that I ask, please, is can everyone do the same. We’ve got a lot of hard work to do and the only thing I want is to be able to walk off that field, regardless of the result, knowing that I’ve had this group give everything for the last two days.

“That’s the only thing I want, for everyone to give it not only for me, selfishly, but also for this team. I’ve got the emotional side out of it. Now it’s time to go to work. Please, everyone else come with me.”

See the video below:

Stokes, 35, has endured a tumultuous time of late, dropped for the second Test after breaking curfew at a London nightclub with Gus Atkinson.

This current Test is Stokes’ 122nd for England.

He took 2/49 before making 30 in the second innings with England still 270 short with six wickets in hand.

After the day's play, Stokes explained his mindset in an interview with Sky Sports.

"I've been through some rocky times, personally, having to feel like I'm pushing myself through and feel like I'm having to do something because it's the right thing to do," he said.

"To be honest, it might sound quite selfish, but this decision is generally the best thing for me right now. Whether that means it's the best thing for the team going forward, I hope so.

"It comes down to what I think is going to allow me to still love this game that I've played since I was a kid and has given me a career. I'm very excited about the next part of what I get to do - going back and playing for my boyhood club Durham.

"There's been moments this week where it's been really tough and again that just adds to everything. It really makes it very clear in your mind that you're probably making the right decision."

He says it has come to a point where he finds it difficult to get up for each matchn with England.

"The whole Lord's Test to me was something that I guess brought back some negative feelings about where I was in my career," Stokes explained.

"I'd worked so hard from getting back home (from the Ashes) to try and make things right - that's what I thought I was doing. I'd put so much time and effort into it, I maybe potentially had burnt myself out.

"When I got to that week at Lord's, it was a very interesting and strange feeling to go into that game. I gave myself as much time (on retirement), I spoke to as many people as I possibly could through the process of this.

"As I was putting me pads on yesterday (Saturday), getting ready to go out there, that was that sort of last nail in the coffin."