Ben Stokes he marked his return to the England Test side in spectacular fashion, bowling tirelessly against New Zealand as he entered one of the most exclusive clubs in Test cricket history.The England all-rounder became only the second player in the history of the longest format to combine more than 7,000 Test runs with 250 wickets, joining the South African great Jacques Kallis in achieving an outstanding overall milestone.At the time of writing, Stokes has scored 7,228 Test runs and claimed 250 wickets, while Kallis ended his legendary career with 13,289 runs and 292 wickets.The feature came during the third Test against New Zealand after the visitors elected to bat first. England suffered a frustrating start as Devon Conway and Tom Latham put on a commanding 317-run partnership, leaving the hosts looking for a breakthrough.It was Stokes who finally broke the deadlock, dismissing Latham to end the mammoth stand. Since then, the England captain has led the charge with an inspired spell, bowling long, demanding spells and taking four wickets to become England’s best bowler. His tireless effort kept England in the contest despite New Zealand’s dominant start.The performance was particularly significant considering the events that preceded his return. Stokes missed the second Test against New Zealand after he and teammate Gus Atkinson were suspended by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for breaching an unofficial curfew following England’s first Test win at Lord’s.The pair stepped out after the win and were involved in a late-night incident at a Chelsea nightclub. Reports said an England team security officer was punched by a rugby player from Premiership club Saracens during the incident.Following an investigation, the ECB concluded that Stokes and Atkinson had “breached specific contractual obligations” and issued both players with formal written warnings. However, cricket’s independent regulator found that there was “insufficient evidence to establish that any breach of regulation had occurred”.As England struggled to a 253-run defeat in the second Test, Stokes and Atkinson were immediately called up for the third Test. Stokes responded in the best possible way, delivering a match-defining bowling performance as he etched his name into the record books.By achieving the rare double of 7,000 Test runs and 250 wickets, Stokes underlined his status as one of the greatest all-rounders of the modern era, joining Jacques Kallis as the only cricketers to achieve the feat.
