Ben Stokes set to release new documentary on Amazon Prime just days after disastrous Test loss in South Africa
England will start their second Test against South Africa after losing by one set and 12 runs in the first just a day before Ben Stokes: Phoenix of the Ashes is set to release worldwide on Amazon Prime.
The start of the summer saw great turmoil in English cricket, with coach and captain changing hands.
Brendon McCullum took on the role of new coach while Ashes and the 2019 World Cup hero took over to take on the vacant captaincy.
England triumphantly beat New Zealand 3-0 before drawing their current Test series against India in victorious fashion, but recently suffered a humiliating loss to the Proteas.
Now, as Ben Stokes hopes to lead his side to the front at Old Trafford this weekend, he will once again be the star of the show as his documentary is released worldwide.
So who is Ben Stokes and who are his wife and children?
Who is Ben Stokes?
Born in Christchurch New Zealand, Ben Stokes moved to Durham as a child and later represented Durham County Cricket, Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, Melbourne Renegades in the Australian Big Bash League and his country, England.
He is the son of former rugby league player Gerard ‘Ged’ Stokes and has English and Maori ancestry.
He made his first class debut for Durham against Marylebone Cricket Club in 2010, having made his one-day debut for the county the year before.
On his first class debut, Stokes bagged half a century in addition to taking a wicket.
He has 163 first-class matches with a total of 9,357 runs and 361 wickets, with a batting average of 38.98 and a bowling average of 30.26.
Ben Stokes, English superstar
A successful debut season in top-class cricket saw him earn a place on England’s performance program before making his ODI debut against Ireland in 2011.
He was then selected for the 2013-14 Ashes England series against Australia and took the wickets of Michael Clarke and Peter Siddle on his debut.
Stokes’ sterling year came in 2019, when he produced several winning performances at the ODI World Cup before winning an iconic Headingley Ashes Test match.
In the World Cup opener against South Africa, Stokes scored 89 runs on 79 balls, took two wickets, missed Dwaine Pretorius and took two catches, one of which was described as ” one of the greatest catches of all time.” by commentator Nasser Hussain.
He then shone against Sri Lanka and Australia before delivering yet another life-saving performance in the tournament final against New Zealand.
Just a month later, Stokes then played a pivotal role in helping England draw the 2019 Ashes series against Australia.
The third Test match saw England knocked out for just 67 in the opening innings and some defeat seemed inevitable. However, Stokes came with an unbeaten 135*, which included 11 fours and eight sixes to chase 359.
His innings, considering the situation of the match and the circumstances in which he was playing, are frequently cited as one of the greatest of all time.
Who are Stokes’ wife and children?
Stokes’ wife Clare Ratcliffe is a schoolteacher and the couple first met after a Lancashire game against Durham at Old Trafford.
The couple first had a long-distance relationship while Stokes played at Durham and Ratcliffe studied at Taunton.
Their first child, Layton, was born in 2012 and they welcomed daughter Libby in 2014. The couple got engaged in 2013 and after four years of engagement, they married in October 2017.
