Cricket World Cup 2019: England's players pay tribute to heroic Ben Stokes

England's cricketers have credited New Zealand-born all-rounder Ben Stokes for his heroic knock, which proved vital in their Cricket World Cup triumph over the Blackcaps.

With England reeling at 86/4 a halfway through their chase of 241, Stokes (82no) and Jos Buttler (59) put on a 110-run partnership, which put the host nation in the box seat to win the trophy for the first time.

But the scores finished level, forcing the match into a super over. Stokes (eight) and Buttler (seven), set New Zealand a target of 16 to win, but the Kiwis also managed 15 - handing the title to England thanks to a superior boundary count - 26 to the Blackcaps' 17.

Stokes was awarded man-of-the-match for his efforts, completing a remarkable redemption story after he was involved in a fracas outside a Bristol nightclub in 2017. The incident saw him lose his place in the national team and was charged with bringing the game into disrepute by the England and Wales Cricket Board.

England captain Eoin Morgan said he hopes Stokes could be an inspiration for the English public.

"To come through is extraordinary. It was almost superhuman from him," said Morgan of Stokes.

"He has carried the team. His partnerships with Jos was extraordinary, but to bat with lower-order the way he did was incredible. The emotion going through the whole game he handled in an incredibly experienced way.

"I hope this has inspired people particularly given the timing it finished. Sunday evening you normally settle in for a bit of David Attenborough or some random film, but I hope they were tuned in to the cricket."

England bowler Chris Woakes echoed his captain's thoughts.

"Ben's a world-class cricketer, and he's delivered on the world-class stage on a number occasions, but today will top it all," he said.

"For him to get us as close as he did, pretty much on his own. I mean him and Jos' [Buttler] partnership was crucial for us to get anywhere close to that score.

"But for him to go about it the way he went, getting the score once he was batting with the tail, shows his mental strength and the quality he has as a cricketer, as a whole - he's the whole package is.

"He's a top bloke with it as well, and I'm delighted for him."

Stokes also played a pivotal part in helping young English bowler Jofra Archer remain composed during the super over.

After bowling a wide and then being hit for six off the first two balls, Stokes offered some words of advice to the 24-year-old paceman.

"Stokes came over and told me, win or lose, today will not define me as a player," said Archer.

"He told me everyone believes in me and Rooty [test team captain Joe Root] also came over and gave me some inspirational words.

"Stokes told me that even if we lost it wouldn't be the end of the world, but in saying that I'm pleased we won."

Stokes' words of encouragement meant lots as he was made to bowl the final over in the 2016 World T20 final against the West Indies. Things didn't go according to plan after Carlos Brathwaite clubbed him for four consecutive sixes to help the Windies clinch their second World Twenty20 title.

For Stokes, he was ecstatic to help his adopted nation win the World Cup for the first time.

"I'm lost for words, to be honest, all the hard work to get us where we are today, this is what we aspire to be, and we managed to come here and do it. I don't think there'll ever be a better game in cricket history than that."

One talking point was when Martin Guptill threw the ball towards the stumps, and it hit Stokes' bat and rolled to the boundary for four, and they claimed a further two runs for running between the wickets.

"I apologised to Kane [Williamson, New Zealand's captain] countless times about that, it's not exactly how you want to do that," added Stokes. "I said to Kane I'll be apologising for that for the rest of my life.

Newshub.