Rhodes' career-best keeps Durham unbeaten after Stokes' duck

Durham's unbeaten One-Day Cup run survives a Stokes zero

Durham's unbeaten start to the One-Day Cup looked fragile when Ben Stokes walked back without scoring. A duck from England's premier all-rounder in a domestic 50-over match could have drained momentum from a side whose early-season form has drawn scrutiny. Will Rhodes answered that concern with a career-best score, anchoring the innings and carrying Durham to a total their bowlers defended.

Rhodes batted with composure from the moment he arrived, absorbing the pressure Stokes' early departure created. For a player who has spent much of his career behind more celebrated teammates, delivering a career-best when the main man failed spoke to temperament as much as talent. Durham's management will have noted the timing. The One-Day Cup rewards squad depth over individual brilliance, and Rhodes now gives them a reliable middle-order option who can anchor innings when the top order falters.

A Stokes duck is rare enough to merit note, even in a match Durham won. County sides built around a single talisman often collapse when that player fails. Durham did not, and that carries practical weight as the tournament moves into its middle rounds. Opponents who game-plan around neutralising Stokes now face the reality that Rhodes can carry an innings independently.

Durham's remaining group fixtures will test whether this unbeaten run produces a knockout berth. Opponents will study how Durham won despite losing their most dangerous batter for nothing. Rhodes' name will feature in those tactical plans.