Born in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1991, Ben Stokes moved to Cumbria with his family at the age of eleven.


He made his debut for Durham CCC in 2009, and just two years later pulled on an England shirt for the first time.


Stokes has scored the fastest Test century at Lord's and England's fastest Test double-century anywhere.


In July 2019 he received the Player of the Match accolade in the ICC Cricket World Cup final as England won the tournament for the first time.
In the summer's Ashes series, he scored 441 runs at an average of more than 55, including two centuries and two fifties. His 135 not out in the second innings at Headingley will be remembered as one of the greatest innings in Test history.


In December 2019, he was voted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year and was also awarded the OBE.


Ben Stokes has played for the Melbourne Renegades in Australia's Big Bash League, and Rising Pune Supergiant and the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League.

He is married with two young children.