Manchester, Monday: Ben Stokes impressed with both bat and ball as England beat the West Indies by 113 runs in the second Test at Old Trafford on Monday.
West Indies, set a nominal 312 to win, were bowled out for 198 on the fifth and final day as England levelled the three-match series at 1-1.
All-rounder Stokes made 176 in England’s first-innings 469-9 declared and a dashing 78 not out on Monday that set up another declaration by home captain Joe Root.
Stokes capped a dominant individual display as he also took two key wickets Monday after Stuart Broad’s early treble helped reduce the West Indies to 37-4.
Shamarh Brooks (62) and Jermaine Blackwood (55) kept England at bay during a fifth-wicket stand of exactly 100.
But Stokes, yet again proved a partnership breaker when his short ball had Blackwood, who made a match-clinching 95 in West Indies’ four-wicket win in the first Test at Southampton, gloving to diving wicketkeeper Jos Buttler on the stroke of tea.
From then on, it always looked likely England would finish the job, despite having no spectators to roar them on in this behind-closed-doors campaign. “It was a brilliant week’s cricket from the outset,” Root told Sky Sports. “Going on and making a 400-plus score for the third time in four games, we’re making real progress.”
As for Stokes’s man-of-the-match effort, Root said it “doesn’t surprise me”.
“He seems to want to keep getting better and better and we’re seeing those results out on the field.”
Stokes played down his contribution, telling the BBC: “Everyone has put their hands up and contributed to a great win.” England’s plans for this match were thrown into disarray when fast bowler Jofra Archer had to be omitted for breaching the bio-secure rules governing a series that marks international cricket’s return from the coronavirus lockdown.
But such was England’s dominance they still won despite the whole of Saturday’s third day being washed out.
Recalled paceman Broad, angry at being rested from the series opener, struck just five balls into the West Indies second innings Monday when he had John Campbell caught behind. AFP
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