Ben Stokes' prodigious talent was clear from an early age, and he was just 18 when he signed a two-year contract with Durham in December 2009. A true allrounder, he had been quietly developing in the Durham Academy for some time and had already made his one-day debut for Durham that summer, snaring Mark Ramprakash with his third legal delivery in senior cricket. From there he enjoyed a productive time at the Under-19 World Cup, scoring a century against India, before registering a maiden fifty on his first-class debut for Durham in the pink-ball season opener against MCC