South Africa vs England: Revealed - The story behind Ben Stokes’ finger gesture after Cape Town victory

SA vs ENG: After the end of the match, Ben Stokes was captured making a unique hand gesture towards the camera that left many perplexed.

England all-rounder Ben Stokes produced a scintillating all-round display as he fired the ‘Three Lions’ to a series-levelling victory in the second Test against South Africa at Newlands in Cape Town. Stokes scored 47 and 72 with the bat and then scalped three crucial wickets in the final innings to bundle Proteas out for 248 in the second essay. England won the match by 189 runs and the four-match series is now locked at 1-1.

England cricketer Ben Stokes celebrates after victory in Cape Town. (Getty Images)

After the end of the match, Stokes was captured making a unique hand gesture towards the camera that left many perplexed. This isn’t the first time that Stokes was caught making this gesture as the meaning behind it hold a massive significance to the Stokes family.

Stokes bent his middle finger while gesturing towards the camera and according to the Guardian, this was a reference to his father Ged, who had to amputate part of his finger after continuing to play despite suffering an injury during the rugby league in 1980s.

Stokes, who was named man of the match for his exploits in Cape Town, revealed his father was his inspiration during troubling times.

“I always had my dad in the back of my mind and that took any injury worries or niggles out of my head,” Stokes said after the end of the match. “I was thinking that he came out here to watch me and unfortunately he’s not been able to, so there was a lot more in my efforts this game, doing it for him. I haven’t managed to speak to him yet but hopefully I’ve made him proud. I had a text off Mum but I haven’t read it yet.”

Former England captain Nasser Hussain also heaped praise on Stokes and compared his bowling to that of legendary Windies bowler Courtney Walsh.

“I could not believe the first of his three-wicket burst that won England the game was his first bowling success of the Test,” Hussain wrote in his column for the Daily Mail. “When it reverse swings, as it did here after tea, Stokes becomes a real handful.”

“His bowling on Tuesday was a bit like Courtney Walsh’s. He leans a little wide of the crease and it looks like the ball is coming in from there, but at the last moment it straightens and batsman after batsman was forced into nicking off,” he added.