England need wickets from Stokes this morning. Standing in their way are two of the world's finest batsmen: Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers. And the pitch is not the most inviting for the bowlers.

Ben Stokes hits the ball hard, bowls the ball fast and is as aggressive as they come in the sporting arena.

Yet those around him say he's quiet off the pitch and likes nothing more than spending time in the pool with his children at the end of a day's play.

The coolest daddy in the world? I've not met many cooler.

So how is cricket helping you through the first day back in the office? Are you wearing a ginger wig in honour of Stokes and Bairstow? Perhaps you're just following this live text and putting the stack of emails off until lunch. Whatever you're doing and whatever you want to talk about - providing it is loosely related to cricket - we're here for you. Get involved using #bbccricket,, external send a text to 81111 or email tms@bbc.co.uk.

BBC Test Match Special

There's only one story in town today and to talk you through it are the Test Match Special team. They're on air now - listen via this page or on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra. The best way to deal with a Monday morning commute.

Jordan Forster: Trains on strike, been waiting 40 mins in the rain for a bus and there's cricket on. Why didn't I extend my hols by one day?

Jonathan Agnew
BBC Test Match Special

"To score at eight runs an over in 40 overs in a Test match is just ridiculous. Once he got going he wasn't going to stop - he imagined he was going to hit every ball out of the park and I don't think there was any answer to him.

"He is one those left-handed batsman who can hit anywhere from third man to deep backward square-leg. You have no idea where he is going to hit you.

"Stokes is 24 and has absolutely everything, with a huge amount of self belief.

"I don't know whether he will ever play like that again, but he is capable of being a seriously good international cricketer for a good number of years, one who will be treated with a huge amount of respect."

Read more from Jonathan here

Peter Gowers: So we're all agreed then, this is an impromptu public holiday called Ben Stokes Day? Back to bed with TMS it is.

The numbers were staggering: 258 runs off 198 balls, 30 fours and 11 sixes. Along with Jonny Bairstow, he helped England post 629-6 declared. Then he chipped in with a wicket as South Africa reached the close of day two on 141-2.

Superman.

Let's be honest, the first Monday after Christmas is not the most popular day of the year. I think I read once that it's the busiest day of the year for solicitors as people decide they want to get divorced after sitting in the same living room with each other for a fortnight.

Yet we're not here to depress you. We're here to talk about cricket and that Ben Stokes innings.

Jonathan Agnew, speaking on BBC Radio 5 live this morning, summed it up best when he said it was the best innings he'd seen from an England batsman and the manner of it all was groundbreaking.

Image source, Getty Images

Monday morning blues, eh?

You're back in work (unless you live in Scotland), the Christmas decorations are on borrowed time and the New Year health kick started at breakfast.

The traffic's backed up, the trains are late and the next time you'll see daylight is in March.

But one man is lifting the gloom from thousands of miles away. The new superstar of English cricket: Benjamin Andrew Stokes.

Image source, Getty Images