Twitter Reacts as Ben Stokes Smashes Incredible 258 Against South Africa

Cricket fans across the world watched in disbelief on Sunday as England all-rounder Ben Stokes hit an astonishing 258 runs off just 198 balls in the Second Test against South Africa in Cape Town:

"

Lol. pic.twitter.com/vrk38t5ZZE

— Tom Webb (@tomwebby92) January 3, 2016"

"

I've had no signal for a couple of hours. BEN STOKES DID WHAT NOW?

— Ed Malyon (@eaamalyon) January 3, 2016"

"

Stokes 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

— Gus Unger-Hamilton (@gusunger) January 3, 2016"

"

#BOOOOOOOOM - @jbairstow21 & #BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM - @benstokes38

— Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) January 3, 2016"

"

This has to be one of the greatest Test innings of all time, right? It's not ridiculous to ask that?

— Jonathan Liew (@jonathanliew) January 3, 2016"

"

Some innings are so brilliant that you don't quite have the words to do them justice. Well I don't.

— Elizabeth Ammon (@legsidelizzy) January 3, 2016"

"

Happy Stokesmas!

— Barney Ronay (@barneyronay) January 3, 2016"

Stokes shared a mammoth 399-run partnership with Jonny Bairstow, who recorded his first England century:

"

The 399 partnership between Stokes & Bairstow was the 2nd highest by any Eng pair. Stokes 11 sixes is England record pic.twitter.com/kyNVsqv7Q5

— Test Match Special (@bbctms) January 3, 2016"

"

Wonderful, record-breaking stuff from Stokes and Bairstow. Just WOW!

— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) January 3, 2016"

"

The most feared biscuits in South Africa right now. #SAvEng pic.twitter.com/aaA3o0GsMK

— Yorkshire Tea (@YorkshireTea) January 3, 2016"

"

How many kids are going to want to dye their hair ginger now in homage to these two, a-la Beckham's Mohawk in 2001? #SAvENG

— Josh Peacock (@JoshPeacockAOC) January 3, 2016"

"

This is the greatest Ginger partnership since Astaire and Rogers.

— Darren Richman (@darrenrichman) January 3, 2016"

"

'Ben Stokes also played well' - sub-heading in tomorrow's Yorkshire Post #SAvENG

— ThatCricketBlog (@ThatCricketBlog) January 3, 2016"

"

Stokes Test average at start of match: 27.72. Now: 33.94 Bairstow Test average at start of match: 28.38. Now: 32.79

— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) January 3, 2016"

"

'Ben Stokes also played well' - sub-heading in tomorrow's Yorkshire Post #SAvENG

— ThatCricketBlog (@ThatCricketBlog) January 3, 2016"

Stokes in particular was simply unstoppable:

"

South Africa looking to plug the gaps to Stokes now pic.twitter.com/C3mU2NWt7l

— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) January 3, 2016"

"

Complete the sentence: "Ben Stokes hits the ball so hard..." #Stokeslore

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) January 3, 2016"

As the records continued to fall on an astonishing day of cricket:

"

Ben Stokes: Faster ever double Test century by an Englishman. Second fastest all time after Nathan Astle (2002) 🔥 pic.twitter.com/4E72376VPR

— Bleacher Report UK (@br_uk) January 3, 2016"

"

England scored 312/1 in 38.5 overs at 8 runs per over today!! Madness

— Jonathan Agnew (@Aggerscricket) January 3, 2016"

"

Full list of the records broken in the 6th wicket partnership by @benstokes38 and @jbairstow21 #EngvsSA #stunning pic.twitter.com/NmkYuZfF32

— Perry Kennedy (@pezza_91) January 3, 2016"

"

Ben Stokes scored the quickest 250 in Test history. 258 from 198 balls. 30 x 4. 11 x 6 https://t.co/TeDl5jqXIq pic.twitter.com/dZ8skLgkdq

— Test Match Special (@bbctms) January 3, 2016"

"

Stokes now has highest ever score by a number six batsman in Tests beating Doug Walters 250 vs New Zealand in 1977

— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) January 3, 2016"

"

Ben Stokes' 258 is not the highest score by a batsman who has come in on a hat-trick. Idiosyncratic stat from @AWSStats (Michael Clarke)

— Simon Mann (@Cricket_Mann) January 3, 2016"

Bravo, Ben Stokes. Bravo.

[Twitter]