See ball, hit ball: Ben Stokes on his double ton

One extraordinary shot on a morning that saw Stokes score 130 runs sent South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada out of the ground and into the neighbouring Castle brewery.

Stokes and Bairstow scored 399 in a record sixth-wicket stand as England declared on 629 for six on the second day of the second test at Newlands. It took the normally free-flowing De Villiers 116 balls to post his half-century with a straight hit for four off Moeen Ali.

Elgar scored 44 before being caught by Nick Compton off the bowling of Stokes as South Africa ended the day on 141 for two wickets in reply to England’s score. In Cape Town, they had their backs to the wall when England hammered 629/6 declared thanks to a monumental 258 by Ben Stokes and a maiden century from Jonny Bairstow.

Stokes played the alpha male role, finishing with 30 boundaries and 11 sixes – no Englishman has ever hit more maximums in an innings – while Bairstow weighed in with 18 fours and two sixes. New Zealand’s Nathan Astle holds the record for the fastest double century in 153 balls while England’s previous fastest was by Ian Botham who took 220 balls.

Stokes’ score was the highest by a number six batsman in Tests.

“It will be a big ask on a nice wicket, but we know that, once we get them, they can have a fragile tail with not many runs under their belts”.

Stokes also hit the fastest 250 in Tests – in 196 balls – and said he didn’t want to be selfish and play for the team.

The Proteas have already lost opener Stiaan van Zyl, who was run out after a mix-up with Dean Elgar, for four as South Africa went to tea on 24/1 off nine overs, trailing by 605 runs.

England finally broke the partnership in its 69th over, and the 50th of day three, Finn bouncing out De Villiers who picked out Anderson at midwicket for 88.

“There will always be finger pointing but our bowlers gave everything”.

Nasser Hussain feels the 26-year-old’s difficulties behind the stumps and the personal issues he has had to endure make his inaugural Test century, the first by an English wicketkeeper since Matt Prior at Auckland in 2013, one to savour.

They could easily have been three wickets down with Amla dropped by Jimmy Anderson at slip off the bowling of Joe Root.