DRS wrong, says Pom hero Stokes

CRICKET: Ben Stokes says DRS is broken and there’s no way the lbw shout that almost cost England the Ashes series was going to hit the stumps.

Australian captain Tim Paine was certain that Nathan Lyon’s delivery should have removed Stokes in what would have delivered his team a one-run Test victory at Leeds. But he burnt Australia’s last review on the previous over and so could not review the lbw appeal after struggling umpire Joel Wilson’s finger stayed down.

Ball tracker showed the delivery was pitching in line, the impact was in line and it was set to crash into middle and leg stump.

“I have seen the DRS on my lbw shout, which obviously shows up with three reds, but DRS has got that completely wrong,” Stokes said after leading England to its greatest Test victory.

“It flicked my front pad first and didn’t spin. It shows how crucial it is to make sure you use your reviews. If they had one they would have used it and ended up winning.

“I still cannot believe it was three reds. I thought, as soon as it hit me, it was sliding down leg because there was no spin.”

Stokes rescued the Ashes for England with an unforgettable hundred that had to be seen to be believed.

England’s World Cup hero became Ashes superhero with a stunning lone-hand performance, pummelling Australia’s bowlers with 135 jaw-dropping g runs that turned almost certain in defeat in to a win for the ages. s.

Stokes bettered the 1981 heroics of Ian Botham, when he smashed 149 not out off

148 balls at the same ground, playing an innings that plenty in the immediate aftermath labelled the best ever.

The all-rounder scored 74 of England’s last 72 runs, off just t 42 balls, with only one wicket in hand in an unstoppable, man--of-ofthe match display, his second in a row after a century at Lord’s. s

He took Lyon to pieces as the Australian spinner, who went past Dennis Lillee for Test wickets when he removed Joe Root earlier in the morning, was found wanting.

Root’s dismissal was supposed to be the beginning of the end. But Jonny Bairstow did briefly what Stokes did for longer and his quick-fire 36 before lunch put Australia on the back foot.

Australia’s bowlers stole back the ascendancy after the break, as Josh Hazlewood took 2-9, and when Stuart Broad was out for a duck, England had lost

5-41. Then with only one way home, Stokes went berserk.

— Russell Gould and

Sam Landsberger