Ben Stokes has laid down the marker with his ominous form in the lead-up to the World Cup. (More Cricket News)
Stokes struck a 124-ball 182, the highest score by an England player in one-day internationals (ODIs), to set up a 181-run win over New Zealand in the third match of the series at The Oval on Wednesday.
The previous best mark by an England cricketer was Jason Roy’s 180 against Australia in Melbourne in 2018.
Stokes’ century was also the 24th-highest individual score ever in the 50-over format.
The way he compiled his innings — a measured start of 13 in 19 balls before he opened his shoulders to hit nine sixes and 15 fours — underlined why England were so keen to get Stokes out of ODI retirement ahead of the team’s defence of the World Cup title in India starting next month.
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England were tottering at 13-2 after 16 balls, with Jonny Bairstow out first ball, when Stokes and Dawid Malan (96 off 95 balls) came together and put on a 199-run stand for the third wicket.
A late collapse after the departure of Stokes ended with England all out for 368, with Trent Boult impressing for the visitors with figures of 5-51.
The Kiwis were reduced to 70-5 after recalled seam bowler Chris Woakes (3-31) removed three of the top five in the batting order, and only Glenn Phillips (72 off 76 balls) went big before they were bowled out for 187.
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“We were thoroughly outplayed,” New Zealand captain Tom Latham said.
The tourists can only draw the series now, with England 2-1 up heading into the final match at Lord’s on Friday. The teams shared their recent T20 series 2-2.
Stokes, England’s Test skipper, has made a seamless return to ODIs a year after retiring from the format because of what he described as an “unsustainable” schedule.
He made 52 in the first ODI and now has surpassed his previous best ODI knock of 102, making his fourth ton in 93 innings in the format.
“He’s played a few good ones,” England captain Jos Buttler said of Stokes, who has starred for the country in the big games in all formats, “but that was amazing.”
Stokes’ spot in England’s team for the World Cup — as solely a batter — is guaranteed and so appears Malan’s after he came up just short of his fifth ODI century, when he was caught behind off Boult.
Elsewhere, there might be a few issues developing in the batting lineup three weeks out from the tournament.
Roy was absent again after having another back spasm hours before the match. The opener missed the first two games with the same problem and could now be a doubt for the World Cup.
Harry Brook, who is not in the provisional squad and is pushing to replace Roy or another batter, dropped out of the team to accommodate the return of Malan and has only made 25 and 2 in this series.
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Meanwhile, Joe Root was dismissed for 4 to add to scores of 6 and 0 this series.
Also worrying for the hosts on Wednesday was the late-innings meltdown after Stokes’ dismissal when he was caught by Will Young at square leg off a full toss from pacer Ben Lister.
From 348-5, England were all out 22 balls later for the addition of just 20 runs.
As for the Black Caps, they left out spinner Mitchell Santner after he jarred his knee fielding in the second ODI and were completely outplayed with bat and ball.
England and NZ will face off in the first game of the World Cup on October 5.
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(With AP inputs)
