STOKED OVER WISDEN DOUBLE
BEN STOKES has been named Wisden’s leading cricketer in the world for the second year running, after his stunning feats against the backdrop of personal tragedy.
The 2021 edition of ‘cricket’s bible’ pays tribute to Stokes’ match-winning contributions, in a year when his mind was often elsewhere due to his father Gerard’s illness and then passing in December due to brain cancer.
He played his part in five series wins out of five across two formats for England in 2020.
The 29-year-old is the first England player to be named twice since the accolade was introduced in 2003.
Stokes – who scored 641 Test runs at 58 – was taken aback at the news and said: “It is an honour to be named Wisden’s leading cricketer for a second year running and unexpected.
“There are some incredible players on this list and it is great to be added to it again.”
Stokes left the England bubble mid-summer to spend time with his dad in New Zealand before returning midway through the IPL, where he scored a hundred and celebrated with a bent finger in a nod to his dad.
“It was good being able to deliver another good moment before he left,” added Stokes.
Australian batter Beth Mooney was named leading woman cricketer.
Zak Crawley was one of five cricketers of the year after a brilliant 267 against
Pakistan in the summer.
Fellow Test newbie Dom Sibley, West
Indies captain Jason Holder and Pakistan wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan were also named.
Kent veteran Darren Stevens, fresh from his first hundred of this summer aged 44 and 350 days, is the final winner and oldest since 1933.
FORMER Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak, 47, has been given an eight-year ban for match-fixing. He accepted five anticorruption charges relating to disclosing sensitive information for betting purposes.