Stokes hits 15 sixes in World Cup retort

Ben Stokes, controversially omitted from England's World Cup squad, responded in emphatic style as he lashed 15 sixes in an extraordinary innings against South Africa A in the fourth ODI in Pretoria. He then took three wickets to help finish off an 89-run win, which wrapped up the series for the Lions with one match to play.

Nine sixes came from the last 14 legal deliveries Stokes faced as he destroyed a South Africa A attack which included four bowlers who have been capped at international level. The fast-bowling pair of Mthokozisi Shezi and Marchant de Lange, who both have a sprinkling of ODI caps, bore the brunt of his late hitting.

England's wounded Lion struck an unbeaten 151 from 86 balls in all to help set South Africa A a target of 378 for 6. There were half-centuries, too, for Jason Roy and Sam Billings - two more up-and-coming one-day players whose emergence did not happen quite soon enough to gain a place in the World Cup party.

South Africa A, already 2-0 down in the series, were up against it in their run chase and only managed to get within 100 runs because of Chris Morris' 31-ball fifty, which included five sixes. Dean Elgar top-scored with 79 before being run out by Jonny Bairstow but Morris and David Wiese were the only other batsmen to pass 30. Stokes, Mark Wood and Boyd Rankin shared seven wickets between them.

Stokes' form is bound to draw favourable comparison with the struggles of Ravi Bopara, who has had an unsuccessful time in the tri-series against Australia and India and whose poor batting form and unused medium pace has put him under pressure as he seeks to hold down his World Cup spot at No. 6.

Stokes was dropped by England after the fourth of seven one-day internationals in Sri Lanka in December as his all-round game made no impression. His bowling, in particular, was leaden as he seemed to struggle on unresponsive pitches and in humid conditions - even if not strikingly humid by Sri Lankan standards.

It all fitted a pattern of colossal inconsistency which had first been apparent in a run of 18 runs in 10 innings with six ducks in all competitions from the tail-end of the Australia one-day tour to the middle of the English summer.

But no sooner had England's World Cup party landed in Australia than he gave them a timely - or perhaps untimely - reminder of his talents, hitting 77 off 37 balls for Melbourne Renegades against Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL, as they entrusted him with batting at No. 3.

Kevin Pietersen and Ian Botham were among the critics who took the chance to question his omission from England's World Cup plans. Both had been long-term advocates of his selection. While Botham fumed on Sky at every opportunity, Pietersen tweeted: "A star in the making. He's showing it this eve! Good on him! I cannot for the life of me believe he's not in World Cup."

Stokes' Durham captain, Paul Collingwood, added: "If you bat him at No 8 he'll bat like a No 8. If you bat him at three he'll win you games."

Australian observers also struggle to understand why he was omitted from England's World Cup party, remembering his maiden Test hundred, a fighting 120 in Perth, as one of the few positive moments in England's abject Ashes whitewash in 2013-14: it was England's only century of the series. He followed up with five wickets in the innings in Sydney a fortnight later.

But his form in England last summer was desperate as he could barely buy a run. For the Lions he has been pushed up the order to No. 5 - a familiar batting slot for Durham - and he has responded by rediscovering his form. For England, though, it is an awful lot a little too late.