Ben Stokes ditches the Hundred to play One-Day Cup for Durham after England retirement

Ben Stokes may have walked away from England cricket, but don’t mistake that for retirement from the game itself.

Less than a month after bringing down the curtain on a remarkable 15-year international career, Stokes is already preparing for a return to action. Only this time, it won’t be in England colours or under the bright lights of The Hundred. Instead, the former England captain is heading back to where he began his cricket dream. He’ll play for his boyhood club, Durham.

Stokes is expected to feature in Durham’s MetroBank One-Day Cup campaign, with his first appearance likely to come against Derbyshire on Tuesday (July 21). It will be his first 50-over match since the 2023 ODI World Cup in India and his first white-ball outing of any kind in nearly two years.

It is a huge decision, especially considering The Hundred is running alongside the One-Day Cup. With the IPL owners joining the Hundred bandwagon, most high-profile English players have jumped at the chance to play in the country’s marquee franchise competition. But you won’t see Stokes playing it.

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