Stokes scores 95 in county match as England struggles in Test against New Zealand

England's cricket team is on the verge of defeat against New Zealand in the second Test, a situation unfolding on the same day that their absent captain, Ben Stokes, demonstrated his form by scoring 95 runs for his county side, Durham. Stokes was removed from the national team pending an investigation by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) into an incident that occurred in a London nightclub following England's victory in the first Test.

Stokes joined his Durham teammates in a County Championship Division Two match against Northamptonshire. His absence has been keenly felt by England at The Oval, where they ended day four trailing New Zealand by 463 runs, facing a daunting target. The ECB has not yet announced whether Stokes will return as captain or simply as a player for the upcoming third Test at Trent Bridge.

The Cricket Regulator is conducting a report into Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson, who reportedly broke team curfew after the 115-run win in the opening Test. Joe Root has stepped in as England's captain in Stokes's absence.

During the match, Root achieved a significant personal milestone, becoming only the second player in Test history to surpass 14,000 runs. He reached this landmark while leading his team's resistance, scoring an unbeaten half-century. Root came to the crease needing just two runs for the milestone, a feat previously only accomplished by Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar. England was in a precarious position at 2-13 when Root began his innings, and he finished the day on 75 not out.