Ben Stokes

Benjamin Andrew "Ben" Stokes (born 4 June 1991) is a New Zealand-born England cricketer who, at county level, plays for Durham. Born and raised in Christchurch, New Zealand, he moved to northern England at the age of 12. He is an all-rounder who bowls right-arm fast-medium pace and bats left-handed.

An attacking middle-order batsman, he holds the record for England's fastest ever century and double-century, the fastest ever test match 250, and the highest ever score for a test batsman batting at six. He also holds the record for the most runs scored by an individual batsman in the morning session of a test match.

Early life

Stokes is the son of rugby league player and coach Gerard Stokes. He moved to England at the age of 12 after his father was appointed head coach of Workington Town rugby league club and grew up in the small, West Cumbrian town of Cockermouth, playing his cricket for Cockermouth Cricket Club; winning the North Lancashire & Cumbria Cricket League, Premier Division Title with the club as a 15-year-old in 2006. As of 2013 his parents have moved back to New Zealand and again reside in Christchurch.