Australia doffs cap to ‘miracle man’ Ben Stokes and wonders whether the Ashes were dropped at Headingley

England’s famous win at Headingley to level an enthralling Ashes series was met with astonishment in Australia on Monday as local media praised “miracle man” Ben Stokes and wondered whether Tim Paine’s team had let the hallowed urn slip from their grasp.

Stokes' majestic unbeaten 135 saw England complete an improbable 359-run chase for a one-wicket victory that tied the series at 1-1 and wrested back the momentum for Joe Root’s side ahead of the fourth test at Old Trafford.

In the same way that Ian Botham’s renegade brilliance with bat and ball brought grudging admiration in Australia decades ago, Stokes’ performance in Leeds was given due respect by local newspapers.

The Sydney Morning Herald declared his knock as “one of the greatest performances in test history” and one on the site of Botham’s “legendary rescue effort” against Australia in 1981.

“Stokes added his one-man mission with the bat to a lion-hearted performance with the ball,” the paper said.

“He may as well be handed a knighthood now.”