Following his retirement from international cricket, former England captain Ben Stokes made a triumphant return to Durham, scoring a match-winning century. Stokes' unbeaten 108, which included 10 boundaries and three sixes, guided Durham to a five-wicket victory over Derbyshire in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup. The 108 runs came off 123 balls, with Stokes battling through cramp in the latter stages of his innings.
This century marked Stokes' 10th in List A cricket and his first for Durham since 2014. Earlier, Martin Andersson top-scored for Derbyshire with 112, as they set a target of 257 after choosing to bat first. Stokes, who had gone wicketless in his nine overs, then played a crucial role in Durham's successful chase. He formed key partnerships with Will Rhodes, Colin Ackermann, and Ollie Robinson, helping his team overcome early setbacks.
Despite struggling with cramp, Stokes reached his half-century and went on to score a 116-ball hundred, securing victory for Durham off the first ball of the final over.