In another awkward showing of ‘Bazball’, England were indebted once more to their brilliant, belligerent captain, even as he hobbled on and off the field at Headingley
Captain fantastic Ben Stokes saved England’s blushes for the umpteenth time to keep them throwing punches and stay in the Ashes hunt.
On the hottest day of the series so far, Stokes turned up the thermostat to 80, with that many runs in his innings to put his side within touching distance of the Aussies, while becoming just the 16th Englishman to score 6,000 Test runs.
No England cricketer has scored that many and taken anywhere near his 197 wickets, which won’t be added to anytime soon as Stokes all but hobbles on and off the field. It was down to his belligerent knock that Australia’s lead was capped at just 26 before Moeen Ali snaffled the two huge wickets of Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith in a second innings now standing at 116-4, a lead of 142.
He won’t reveal just how much his efforts are taking out of him physically, that is not his style, but boy is he putting his body on the line for the England cause. And there is a touch of the Popeyes about Stokes too.