Monday 4 January 2016 10:48, UK
Ben Stokes plundered the second-fastest double century and the best score by a No 6 batsman as England put South Africa to the sword on day two of the second Test in Cape Town.
Stokes, 74 not out overnight, unleashed one of the most memorable and staggering salvos in Test history to motor to 258 off 198 balls - his maiden double Test hundred - as the tourists swelled their day one tally of 317-5 to 629-6 declared.
The Durham all-rounder smote 30 fours and 11 sixes - the most maximums ever hit by an Englishman in one Test innings - as he compiled the highest individual score for England against South Africa.
Stokes and Jonny Bairstow chalked up an incredible 196 runs in 25 overs before lunch to set a new England record for the number of runs scored in a session - and the second most ever - before the pair improved their sixth-wicket stand to 399, a partnership only bettered for England by the 411 between Peter May and Colin Cowdrey against the West Indies in 1957.
Check out the key stats and records from Stokes' blitz
Bairstow was outshone but not outclassed as he racked up an unbeaten 150 off 191 balls - his maiden Test hundred - before skipper Alastair Cook declared the innings closed after 125.5 overs.
In reply a chastened South Africa rallied from the early loss of Stiaan van Zyl, run out for four, only for Stokes to strike with the ball and end Dean Elgar's promising knock of 44.
At stumps the home side were 141-2 - 488 behind - with Hashim Amla (64no) and AB de Villiers (25no) at the crease, the latter enjoying a life on five when he was put down at second slip by Joe Root off the bowling of James Anderson. A colossal 453 runs were scored in the day for the loss of just three wickets - two of them run outs.
Only once in 18 times has a team scored over 400 in the first innings at Newlands and lost - that being India in 2007 - history highlighting the size of the challenge facing South Africa, already 1-0 down in the series.
This was the day Stokes dazzled. The 24-year-old thrashed an astounding 166 runs alone in the morning - the most ever scored by an England batsman in a session - and became the sixth batsman to reach 100 and 200 in the same session when he pulled his 163rd ball, from Morne Morkel, for four.
In so doing he eclipsed the previous fastest double-hundred for England scored by Ian Botham against India at the Oval in 1982 off 220 balls.
Stokes set the tone early, driving the second ball of the day from Morne Morkel for four and repeating the dose in the same over to bring up the 100 stand off 120 balls.
An astonishing 24 runs came off the first two overs of the day as Chris Morris offered too much width and Stokes cashed in, cruising from 74 to 100 in a mere 12 balls.
The all-rounder was merciless after reaching his century off 105 balls with an elegant cover drive for three - his innings comprising 16 fours and one six at that point.
With Bairstow rotating the strike intelligently, reaching his seventh Test fifty off 69 balls, England added 60 runs in the first six overs and the rate barely slowed as the next seven overs brought 43 more runs.
The fourth hundred off the innings came up off 91 balls before Stokes advanced to swat Dane Piedt for six to register his maiden Test score of 150 and improve his stand with Bairstow to 204 off 195 balls - that mark improving to 251 runs off 226 balls.
When Stokes cracked 16 off three deliveries from Piedt to move to 181no, he claimed the best Test score by an England number six.
There was a rare scare on 197 when Morris came close to striking off stump with a yorker but Stokes was not to be denied his double century, raising both arms and looking to the heavens after reaching the landmark by pulling Morkel for four.
Bairstow's celebration was no less effusive - the Yorkshireman roaring in delight towards the heavens as he arched his back having reached three figures off 161 balls.
By the time Stokes was run out in comical fashion - De Villiers throwing down the stumps after dropping a skied chance - South Africa's weakened attack was on its knees.
Skipper Amla, struggling for form and results, walked to the wicket under intense pressure after Van Zyl was run out by Nick Compton after being sent back by Elgar.
He responded with a typically gutsy fifty - the 29th of his stellar career - off 110 balls but South Africa will need much more of the same to stave off a second defeat of the series.
Watch highlights of day two at 6.30pm on Sky Sports 2 and then do not miss The Verdict - a Ben Stokes special - from 7.30pm on the same channel. Our live coverage of day three begins at 7.30am on Monday on Sky Sports 2.
