Ben Stokes marked his return to England’s Test side in spectacular fashion, producing a tireless bowling display against New Zealand as he joined one of the most exclusive clubs in Test cricket history.The England all-rounder became only the second player in the history of the longest format to combine more than 7,000 Test runs with 250 wickets, joining the South African greats. Jacques Kallis to reach the remarkable goal in all.At the time of writing, Stokes has scored 7,228 Test runs and claimed 250 wickets, while Kallis ended his legendary career with 13,289 runs and 292 wickets.The landmark came during the third Test against New Zealand after the visitors opted to bat first. England endured a frustrating start as Devon Conway and Tom Latham put together a 317-run opening partnership, leaving the hosts looking for a breakthrough.It was Stokes who finally broke the deadlock, dismissing Latham to end the mammoth stand. From there, the England captain led the fight with an inspired spell, bowling long, demanding spells and claiming four wickets to emerge as England’s standout performer. His relentless effort kept England in the contest despite New Zealand’s dominant start.The performance was especially significant considering the events leading up to his return. Stokes had missed the second Test against New Zealand after he and teammate Gus Atkinson were withdrawn by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for breaching an unofficial team curfew following England’s win in the opening Test at Lord’s.The pair went out after the win and were involved in a late-night incident at a Chelsea nightclub. Reports claimed that an England team security officer was punched by a rugby player from Premiership club Saracens during the incident.After an investigation, the ECB concluded that Stokes and Atkinson had “breached specific contractual obligations” and issued both players with formal written warnings. However, the independent Cricket Regulator found that there was “insufficient evidence to establish that a regulatory breach has occurred”.With England reeling from a 253-run defeat in the second test, Stokes and Atkinson were immediately recalled for the third test. Stokes responded in the best possible way, delivering a match-defining bowling performance while writing his name in the record books.Achieving the rare double of 7,000 Test runs and 250 wickets, Stokes underlined his status as one of the greatest all-rounders of the modern era, joining Jacques Kallis as the only cricketers to achieve the feat.
