Ben Stokes' father Ged passes away at 65 after a year-long battle with brain cancer

Ged Stokes, father of ace English cricketer Ben Stokes, passed away on Tuesday at the age 65 after a long battle with brain cancer. Workington Town - the rugby club that Ged Stokes' played for - confirmed the news on Tuesday, following which Rajasthan Royals - Ben Stokes' IPL franchise - paid their tribute. Ged's illness had also forced his son Ben to leave England's tour of South Africa in December 2019. 

The English Cricket Board had also granted the star all-rounder indefinite leave to spend time with his family as his father was battling cancer. He also had to miss a major chunk of his IPL campaign this year and travelled to the UAE only in October. He is presently in South Africa, where the English team was scheduled to play a three-match ODI series, which has now been called off. 

"It is with great sadness that we learn that our former player and coach Ged Stokes has passed away. Ged is written into the rich fabric of town history and will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with Deb, Ben and James. Ged still has many, many friends here in West Cumbria and we send our thoughts to them too. RIP Marra," Workington Town wrote in their tribute to Ged.

Stokes' dedicates century to ailing father

Earlier in the IPL 2020, Stokes dedicated his match-winning century against Mumbai to his ailing father. After notching up his match-winning century, Stokes stood tall holding out his hand with an inward bent middle-finger. The gesture was nothing but a tribute to his ailing father whom he had to leave in New Zealand as the IPL got underway. The symbolic gesture, which Ben Stokes had made earlier during his crucial knock against South Africa in January, symbolises his father - Ged Stokes' struggles. The senior Stokes had to get his middle-finger amputated in an attempt to prolong his career in rugby.