Ben Stokes, who else? Took England to a famous victory at Newlands for the first time in 63 years.
He ended the game when another fierce and fiery delivery crashed into the gloves of Vernon Philander and was caught by Ollie Pope in the gully to bring Newlands to its feet thanks to the touring fans.
After all that he has delivered for his team and for England fans over the last 12 months, the hero of 2019 has clearly got no intention of stopping his super human feats in 2020.
With South Africa edging closer to the draw he broke the game wide open in the dying stages of the final day with his his lion-hearted bowling that completed a sensational match in all three facets of the game.
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He claimed six catches, including a record five in an innings, he struck 129 runs including a blistering 72 from 47 balls, and then he claimed the three wickets that sealed victory in the space of 14 epic balls.
And all this while his dad remains in hospital in Jo’Burg recovering from an illness that hit him at the start of the tour.
To say that Stokes loves playing in Cape Town would be a huge understatement as he claimed two wickets in two balls before completing the finale to send England on their way to a series-levelling win by 189 runs.
On a long and hard fought fifth day in which the South African batsmen mixed cussed discipline with bizarre, and clueless batting, England managed to find a way to victory in the way that the home team couldn’t ten years ago on the same ground.
England had Graham Onions to thank back in 2010, but this time it was another North-East hero who made the difference when it looked as if South Africa might just keep them at bay.
All rounders Dwaine Pretorius and Philander had batted for eight of the 20 overs left in the game as they crept towards the draw.
Jos Buttler and Philander even indulged in a fruity exchange as tensions rose and tempers flared.
But the coolest customer of the lot was Stokes, who charged in to bowl in the absence of the injured James Anderson who was nursing a sore side.
He ended the innings with 3-35 as he first removed Pretorius with one that found the edge and was well taken low down by Joe Root at slip.
Next ball Anrich Nortje edged a sharp chance to Zak Crawley who parried with his right hand before catching with his left at third slip.
And then it was just a matter of time before Stokes completed the hat-trick and got Philander, the legend of Newlands playing in his last game at the ground. One man’s fairytale is another man’s nightmare.
England’s players ran around in scenes of wild jubilation, totally fitting for their skill and their effort in getting over the line.
Now they have a little break before they get to Port Elizabeth for the third Test with the series well poised at 1-1 with two to play.
