CENTURION, South Africa (AP) Ben Stokes bowls as fast as most fast bowlers, and hits the ball harder and further than most batsmen.
The England allrounder has the ability to win or change games by sheer force, ball or hefty bat, with quick bowling and even quicker runs.
In England's series win in South Africa, he made 258 of those runs in one innings in Cape Town, ending up as the second highest run-scorer over the four tests after Hashim Amla. And his 12 wickets was the fourth highest, with only specialist bowlers ahead of him. And a lot of specialist bowlers below him.
''It is the ideal having that allrounder who can bowl at close to 90 miles per hour when he gets it right, and be able to score 250 off 190 balls,'' England captain Alastair Cook said. ''Most people want that.''
Yet the 24-year-old Stokes' greatest asset for England but may be in the opportunities he gives other players.
For one, England can take a spinner into most tests knowing Stokes' gives them a fourth fast bowler alongside the specialist quicks. And then there are his runs from No. 6, always fast and often damaging to allow England's top order to go about their business in a more measured way.
''He does balance our side very well and you can see the problems when he's not in the side,'' Cook said.
Stokes' worth to England was underlined by South Africa after the final test on Tuesday. South Africa used to have a Ben Stokes: Jacques Kallis, an allrounder who could make runs against the best bowling attack, and take the wickets of the best batsmen.
It was becoming more obvious to South Africa, no longer No. 1 in the world after losing to England, how big a part Kallis played in its previous successes and how Stokes could play a major role - maybe the most important - in England's ambition to be No. 1.
''England are very fortunate. They've got what South Africa had a few years ago,'' South Africa coach Russell Domingo said. ''Four frontline seamers and a spinner. And Ben Stokes.''
South Africa captain AB de Villiers called England ''the team to beat'' in test cricket now.
England is No. 5, even after its first series win over South Africa in over a decade. But that's not a fair reflection of where this England team is, according to just about everyone.
But there are still questions to answer for England, Cook said, including if Alex Hales is going to be his long-term opening partner, and who will bat at No. 5. James Taylor started the South Africa series well there, but was struggling by the end.
''We're not kidding ourselves just because we won here,'' Cook said. ''But it is encouraging, for three test matches to outplay South Africa like we did and still have areas to improve on. That is very encoraging.''
