Ben Stokes century snatches victory from Australia in one of greatest Ashes innings of all time - in pictures

Ben Stokes hit what will surely go down as the greatest innings of his career as England snatched victory from the clutches of defeat against Australia to keep the Ashes alive. Stokes was unbeaten on 135 as England pulled off an improbable one-wicket win at Headingley to level the five-match series at 1-1. Allrounder Stokes channelled the spirit of Ian Botham in 1981 and even eclipsed his match-winning turn in the Cricket World Cup final earlier this summer, to lead England to their record chase of 359. Anything less than victory in Leeds and Australia would have retained the Ashes urn at 2-0 with two to play but what transpired was simply one of the most incredible displays of defiance ever seen on a cricket field. While Stokes will rightly receive all the plaudits, last man Jack Leach's defiant rearguard action allowed Stokes to chip away at the scoreboard. Leach's score of one in an unbroken stand of 76 for the final wicket could be the most important he ever scores. Stokes hit eight sixes and 11 fours as he instantly laid claim to one of the greatest innings of all time, while Leach's solitary run was the one that levelled the scores.

Ben Stokes century snatches victory from Australia in one of greatest Ashes innings of all time - in pictures

Stokes was unbeaten on 135 as England pulled off an improbable one-wicket win at Headingley to level the Ashes series at 1-1