Stokes fifer hands England advantage

Manchester: India’s Rishabh Pant took his bravado to another level by turning up to bat with a potentially fractured foot but the incredible Ben Stokes, who has been amping up his bowling this series, hit the crests finally after all the toil as England called the shots on the second day of the fourth Test here on Thursday.

Pant, who was struck flush on his right foot while attempting a reverse sweep off Chris Woakes on the opening day, stunned everyone by limping out to bat. The vice-captain struck a heroic 54 off 75 balls that had the sold-out Old Trafford crowd in utter awe.

Stokes, another gutsy character like Pant with a habit of doing extraordinary things, however, emerged as the biggest performer of the day as his 5/72 — his first fifer in Tests in eight years — enabled England to bowl out India for 358. England openers Ben Duckett (43 n.o.) and Zak Crawley (33 n.o.) then feasted on poor Indian bowling to race away to 77/0 at tea.

Stokes opted for the new ball the first thing on an overcast morning, and his lead pacers Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer were right on the money from the onset. After a sizzling opening over from Woakes, Archer was literally unplayable as he elicited two edges — one each of Ravindra Jadeja and Thakur — with both falling short. Archer finally found the reward as he squared up Jadeja in the penultimate ball of that over, and Harry Brook pulled off a superb catch at second slip.

It was just what the doctor had ordered for England, and Woakes and Archer kept the pressure on India with hostile spells. It was tough work for the Indian duo, but they battled it out to defy England. They picked the bad balls to play the big shots and saw off the teasing ones around the off stump as they built a decent tempo to the innings.

At that stage, England needed something magical to disturb the alliance, and who else, but Stokes, to produce that! Possessing that unique skill to force a batter into committing errors with his persistence, Stokes dished out a nice half-volley to Thakur. The Mumbaikar’s eyes lit up, but there was an extra pace on the ball, and the batter ended up nicking the ball to Duckett at gully.

Thakur’s dismissal brought Pant to the crease, much to everyone’s amazement. Stokes and England didn’t get swayed away and stuck to their plans. For Pant, they targeted his legs, while for Sundar, they peppered him with short balls, one of them striking his arm guard. The plans bore fruit as Stokes got Sundar to hook, the ball landing safely into the hands of Chris Woakes at deep fine leg. Stokes, who has looked at his best bowling this series by making something happen every time he brings himself on, completed his fifer by producing a peach that was too good for debutante Anshul Kamboj.

Pant and the tail-ender swung their bats around but couldn’t cause much damage.