Steve Smith put it best. There was only word to describe Ben Stokes.
"He's a freak," smiled Australia's own batting freak.
It was another innings for the ages from one of the great cricketers of any era - but this time, Smith was left relieved that, unlike at Headingley four years ago, Australia managed to just about survive the England captain's extraordinary, unforgettable barrage of brilliance at Lord's on Sunday.
Relief, particularly for Smith, because he'd dropped Stokes at deep square leg when he had scored 114 of his eventual stupendous 155, just as Australia feared the mighty allrounder might pull off another masterpiece, like the 135 not out in that fabled Leeds Test which dragged England to the famous one-wicket win.
"It was a bit of deja vu, for sure," conceded first-innings centurion and player of the match Smith, grateful that a skyed miscue off Josh Hazlewood eventually brought Stokes's downfall, caught behind, and enabled Australia to go on to prevail by 43 runs.
"He's an unbelievable player, some of the things he can pull off. The way he went about it, he was pretty much just trying to hit one way.
"The way he plays, chasing totals, he gets it done. Just an incredible knock.”
Watching with a growing sense of disbelief as Stokes worked his wonders, former England captain Michael Vaughan witnessed "a player who seems to take on the impossible more than anyone I have ever seen."
It was another innings to add to one of cricket's most dazzling individual highlights reels, headed naturally by Headingley and his World Cup final match-winning heroics against New Zealand.
But this time, Stokes, even with his record nine sixes, fell short. "Unfortunately, it wasn't enough," he sighed.
"It is a tough one to take getting so close but being involved in a great game is awesome.
What was most astonishing was how Stokes switched from a more studied approach to his knock to all-out assault once his last big hope as a batting partner, Jonny Bairstow, was controversially run-out amid a furore that will linger long after this Test.
Clearly irritated himself by Australia having stumped Bairstow when both batters felt the ball was dead, the obvious lesson for Australia was 'don't make Big Ben angry'.
Because he then went for broke.
Yet Stokes reckoned that, actually, he had been able to remain calm amid the whole Bairstow drama.
"I'm a person who really likes to stay within his own space," he said. "I asked a few questions out there (to the umpires) when the whole thing went on, but I chose not to engage myself any further. I didn't want to get myself side-tracked."
About his thoughts on the dismissal, though, he was quite clear. "I am not disputing the fact it is out because it is out. Would I want to win a game in that manner? The answer for me is no."
It was a day to enhance his legend, because although he would never say so himself, Stokes is not just a great cricketer who plays with incredible spirit but also one who plays in the right spirit.
