Ben Stokes claims first five–for since 2017 as England bowl India out for 358

Independent

3 days ago

England captain Ben Stokes claimed his first five-wicket haul since September 2017 after Rishabh Pant courageously defied injury to help India to 358 all out at Emirates Old Trafford.
Stokes' five for 72 saw him move level on 229 career wickets with Darren Gough on day two of the fourth Rothesay Test but he shared top billing with Pant, who was seen arriving at the ground in a moon boot.
While he will not keep wicket – substitute Dhruv Jurel was behind the stumps as England raced to 77 without loss at tea – Pant resumed his innings less than 24 hours after retiring hurt on 37 in agony.
Reports in India suggest Pant suffered a fractured metatarsal when inside edging a Chris Woakes yorker on to his right foot, although the tourists have not publicly announced the severity of the problem.
He was given a standing ovation when he emerged from the pavilion just before lunch, hobbling down the steps, and he steadily grew in confidence, launching Jofra Archer for six en route to a battling 54.
Archer, though, who collected three for 73, had the last laugh as for a second innings in succession, he sent Pant's off-stump flying, although the dangerous left-hander's extra runs could yet prove vital.
Archer made the breakthrough with the second new ball in his first over as India resumed on 264 for four, squaring up Ravindra Jadeja, who was on his way for 20 after nicking to second slip.
England were frustrated despite helpful bowling conditions as overnight batter Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar put on 48 to take India past 300 before Stokes claimed his third wicket.
Thakur fell nine runs short of his fifty after being persuaded into a drive, with a thick edge flying to gully, where Duckett leapt to his left to take a terrific catch before Pant re-emerged.
He played and missed at his first couple of balls off Stokes and was then struck on the glove from his third, a worrying sight for India as he injured his left index finger at Lord's last week.
Unable to call upon a runner because they have been outlawed in Tests, Pant limped through for a couple of singles. Upon the resumption, Pant steadily walked back to the crease where a waiting Stokes – with a wide grin – pointed at his left hand, a good-natured nod to last week's timewasting row.
Sundar survived an lbw review off Archer but was bounced out by Stokes, who nicked off Kamboj three balls later for his fifth five-for and first since his career-best six for 22 against the West Indies nearly eight years ago.
England, though, did not seem to know how to handle Pant, with Stokes fractionally off target with a couple of yorkers, while Pant blazed an extraordinary leg-side six off an Archer slower ball.
He was castled neck and crop in an almost identical rerun of his second-innings dismissal at Lord's last week, with Archer finding a hint of movement away from round the wicket to uproot off-stump.
India lost their final four wickets for 21 when England and Archer successfully reviewed a glove down the leg-side off Jasprit Bumrah, who presented an altogether more different threat with the ball.
Zak Crawley took 14 balls to get off the mark and survived an lbw review off Mohammed Siraj after offering no shot on height on 26 but he provided able support for Duckett, who got off to a flyer.
After gloving his first ball off Kamboj down leg just out of reach of the diving Jurel, Duckett feasted on a number of deliveries on his pads to go to tea on an unbeaten 43. Crawley was 33 not out.