Daily Mirror - 26.08.2019

RECOVERY TO LEVEL SERIES

DM1ST

mirror.co.uk/sport MONDAY 26.08.2019 DAILY MIRROR^49

BY NEIL SQUIRES

IT may just have been the best

‘one not out’ in the history of

English cricket.

Jack Leach’s minimalist

contribution to the 10th-wicket

partnership of 76 with Ben

Stokes gave new meaning to

‘supporting act’ but his hour-

long, limpet-like vigil proved

priceless.

Stokes could not watch

during the last few deliveries in

the bespectacled No.11’s 17-ball

survival act but Leach

(celebrating above with Jos

Buttler) emerged still standing

as an unlikely hero of the

Headingley drama.

“Those will be the most

important balls that Jack

Leach will ever face in his Test

career. It was the best one he

has ever got in his career,” said

Stokes. “It takes two to tango

in a situation like that.

“For him to come out under

that kind of pressure and to

deliver was fantastic.

“A lot of credit has to go to

him for us being able to cross

the line at the end. Leachy had

to stay in with me and

he’s got serious

b******* to be able

to stand up in those

moments.”

Leach, who made

92 as nightwatchman

against Ireland at Lord’s

earlier this season,

defended staunchly

but needed a huge

slice of fortune when

Nathan Lyon inexplicably

dropped a throw which

would have seen him run him

out after a mid-pitch mix-up.

“Me and him could literally

have had a conversation, he

was that close to me,” added

Stokes.

“He said he thought I had

started running but I said,

‘Mate, I was nowhere near

running!’

“It was huge panic stations

because he was so far out.

“But pressure situations in

games can really affect what a

human does. Nine times out

ten Nathan Lyon would be able

to pick that ball up.”

LEACH IS

THE REAL

SPECIAL 1!

Statistics and records from England’s amazing

one-wicket win over Australia at Headingley.

ENGLAND’S HIGHEST SUCCESSFUL

TEST RUN CHASES

Headingley Yesterday – v Australia 362-9

Melbourne 1928 – v Australia 332-7

Headingley 2001 – v Australia 315-4

Christchurch 1997 – v New Zealand 307-6

Melbourne 1895 – v Australia 298-4

Old Trafford 2008 – v New Zealand 294-4

MATCH-WINNERS

Ben Stokes and Jack Leach finished with an unbeaten

76-run partnership for the 10th wicket. Stokes scored

74 of those runs.

It was the second-highest 10th-wicket stand to win

a Test match, only behind the 78 managed by Sri

Lanka’s Kusal Perera and Vishwa Fernando to beat

South Africa in February.

STOKES HEROICS

The unbeaten 135 from Stokes was his highest-

ever Test score against Australia.

It was his third Test hundred against Australia –

the most he has recorded against a single opponent.

Stokes struck eight sixes in the innings, which is

the third-highest ever by a batsman in the fourth

innings of a Test. Only New Zealanders Nathan

Astle (11) and Tim Southee (nine) have hit more,

but both were in defeats.

Stokes is now England’s leading run-scorer

in the series with 327 at an average of 81.75.

RESCUE ACT

England recovered from 67 all out in the first

innings to clinch victory. There are only three

instances of teams scoring fewer runs in an

innings, in a Test they ended up winning, and

they were all in the 1880s.

The England fans at

Headingley yesterday

will never forget the

epic innings by

Stokes

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HEROICS

en 135 from Stokes was his highest-

ore against Australia.

third Test hundred against Australia –

has recorded against a single opponent.

ruck eight sixes in the innings, which is

ghest ever by a batsman in the fourth

Test. Only New Zealanders Nathan

d Tim Southee (nine) have hit more,

re in defeats.

now England’s leading run-scorer

s with 327 at an average of 81.7 5.

ACT

overed from 67 all out in the first

inch victory. There are only three

f teams scoring fewer runs in an

Test they ended up winning, and

ll in the 1880s.

THIRD TEST, HEADINGLEY

...NOW IT’S 1-1 WITH TWO TESTS TO PLAY