Watch: Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum competed in the second edition of their six-hitting contest in England training ahead of their series-deciding Test against Pakistan.
The captain and coach duo are the only two players in history to have hit more than 100 sixes in Test cricket. Stokes went past McCullum's record in the format (107) last year, and has 131 sixes in the format ahead of the Rawalpindi Test. Last time England toured Pakistan, in December 2022, Stokes and McCullum faced off in a six-hitting contest in England training in a penalty shootout format hitting down the ground.
McCullum won on that occasion, before Stokes replaced him as the record holder months later. Ahead of the third Test in Pakistan this time around, they faced off in the second edition of the head-to-head.
Stokes had first shot in the nets on the Rawalpindi outfield, with the ball sent down from a dog-thrower. The England captain came down the ground but toe-ended his shot, the ball keeping low and not in any danger of going over the rope. He then passed the bat to McCullum, who skipped a couple of paces down the track and launched the ball into the netting. There was no doubt had the netting not been there that the ball would have sailed over the boundary.
With McCullum at a 1-0 lead, Stokes next shot had to go over the rope to continue the sudden death competition. He hit it well, and encourage the ball to 'go', his words and strength doing the trick as the fielders on the rope signalled it had gone over. However, cool as you like, McCullum launched his next shot into the stand, its trajectory in no doubt from the moment it left the bat. That gave McCullum an unassailable 2-1 lead and meant he took victory in the contest for the second edition runnings.
England begin their final Test in Pakistan tomorrow (October 23), having been beaten in the second Test in Multan. They've named two changes in their XI from that Test to field three spinners this time out, Brydon Carse and Matt Potts making way for Rehan Ahmed and Gus Atkinson as the only specialist seamer alongside Stokes.
Watch: Stokes and McCullum compete in six-hitting contest
Most sixes in Test history:
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) October 23, 2024
1️⃣ Ben Stokes - 131
2️⃣ Brendon McCullum - 107
What better time for a little competition then? 🙌 pic.twitter.com/D3w0VCZHKj
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