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Mark Butcher: Ben Stokes’ sudden exit leaves English cricket stunned

Mark Butcher questions Ben Stokes’ shock England retirement, his final Test decisions and what his exit means for Bazball and the Ashes.
England v New Zealand – Third Rothesay Test – Day Four – Trent Bridge

 

We heard a whisper maybe half an hour before the news was announced, and none of us could believe it.
We actually thought it could be a wind-up, but then the official statement dropped at 3.25pm – Ben Stokes is retiring from international cricket. Nobody saw it coming.
Then we have this extraordinary moment where the crowd in Nottingham hears the news, they stand up to applaud Stokes as he gets to the end of his mark, and he takes a wicket with his very next ball.
Stokes explodes. The team explodes. It sounds like there are 60,000 people in Trent Bridge. It was absolutely astonishing – ano...

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