World Cup 2019: 'That wasn't my best catch', says Stokes after plucking a stunner

Stokes claimed he preferred his stunning one-handed grab of an Adam Voges edge in the gully during a 2015 Ashes Test against Australia at Trent Bridge

Ben Stokes insists his astonishing catch in England's World Cup rout of South Africa on Thursday doesn't rank as the best of his career. Diving backwards to dismiss Andile Phehlukwayo with a one-handed take on the boundary off Adil Rashid, Stokes' sensational effort was immediately labelled “the catch of the century” by former England spinner Phil Tufnell on the BBC. But Stokes claimed he preferred his stunning one-handed grab of an Adam Voges edge in the gully during a 2015 Ashes Test against Australia at Trent Bridge. Asked if it was the greatest catch of his life, Stokes said, “Nah, that one was against the Aussies, so that one ranks higher!”

Have you EVER seen a better catch? 🔥 Ben Stokes with a grab that has to be seen to be believed!#WeAreEngland #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/rpN04OxVTk

— ICC (@ICC) May 30, 2019

He admitted he had misjudged the flight of the ball initially, leading Phehlukwayo's shot to flash past him until the all-rounder leapt backwards to complete a jaw-dropping catch with his right hand. “I was actually in the wrong position. It would have been a regulation catch if I was in the right place, but yeah it is one of those that sticks or doesn't,” Stokes said. Stokes had struggled to hit the heights he showed before being acquitted of affray last year following an incident outside a Bristol nightclub. But Stokes showed England can rely on him and he hailed the resounding win in the opening match of the tournament as a “perfect day”. “The best thing about being an all-rounder is you can influence the game pretty much the whole 100 overs. It is always nice when you can contribute to the team winning. The most pleasing thing is we have got the first game out of the way and winning like that. There were a few nerves knocking about, there definitely was for me as I have not felt like that in a long time,” he said.