Ben Stokes defiance keeps England in contention in third Ashes Test

By Sports Desk July 07, 2023

Ben Stokes’ latest act of defiance and a spirited performance from England’s bowlers left everything up for grabs after three days of the third Ashes Test.

Just five days after scoring a brilliant 155 in a losing cause at Lord’s, Stokes once again dug deep to give his side hope with a muscular 80 at Headingley.

Despite batting through clear physical pain he pulled the trigger on five sixes and six boundaries, dragging England back from 87 for five to post 237 all out during a frantic afternoon session.

That kept the first-innings deficit to a manageable 26, with a dicey display from Australia’s top order leaving the tourists 116 for four at stumps for a lead of 142.

The England attack was depleted by two, with Stokes clearly unfit to bowl and Ollie Robinson reduced to a spectator’s role by back spasms, but showed huge heart to keep the game, and the series, alive.

Stuart Broad continued his long-time hex over David Warner, Moeen Ali prised mistakes out of Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith to reach 200 career scalps and Chris Woakes chimed in with the wicket of Usman Khawaja.

Australia skipper Pat Cummins had earlier claimed his best figures in Ashes cricket, brushing off the the boos that have followed him since last week’s stumping controversy to claim six for 91.

There was a sense of expectation in the air at the start of the day, with England vulnerable on 68 for three but two local heroes, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow, unbeaten overnight.

With Bairstow bearing a grudge following the divisive stumping that sparked fury at Lord’s and both men eager to make up for dropped catches on day two, the stage was set for the pair.

Instead, they barely left a dent. Root nicked the second ball of the morning to slip, too eager to play at Cummins with no width available, and Bairstow was not far behind. Tempted to drive away from his body as Mitchell Starc slanted it towards the cordon, he saw his revenge mission fall flat.

Stokes was fighting through the pain barrier to keep the contest alive, moving awkwardly as fresh niggles added to his existing knee problems.

He admitted at the pre-match press conference that his century on Sunday took “quite a bit out of me” and the evidence was there for all to see. His movements were stiff and uncomfortable and there were plenty of grimaces, but he stuck to the task during a careful stand of 44 with Moeen.

Cummins finally drew the latter into a careless hook and Woakes was also undone by the short ball, leaving England under-powered on 142 for seven at lunch. A switch was flipped during the interval and the adrenaline flew during the next 10.2 overs, during which they piled on 95 runs and lost their last three wickets as the game romped along.

Mark Wood got the show on the road, launching Starc for six over midwicket off the first ball of the session. The second was slashed for four, the third for six more and when he top-edged Cummins over fine-leg he had 24 off just six deliveries.

That was where his fun stopped, chipping straight up in the air looking for more of the same, but the tone was set. Starc dropped Stokes on 45, unable to hold on low after making good ground, and it was Starc himself who paid the price as Stokes guided him for three successive boundaries to pass 50.

An outstanding boundary catch from Smith saw Broad become Cummins’ sixth victim, but the emergence of Robinson at number 11 merely raised Stokes’ temperature.

He blitzed Australia’s stand-in spinner Todd Murphy for five sixes in 14 balls – three back down the ground, one swept behind square and another picked up from outside off into the leg-side. He holed out going for another big hit, Murphy going flatter and wider.

Despite being down on numbers, England’s bowling unit needed to front up again and it was Broad who got them on the board in his second over.

Plowing a familiar furrow against the left-handed Warner, he earned an equally familiar edge to slip. For the 17th time in this longstanding duel, and the second time in as many days, Broad had won the head-to-head.

A stand of 55 between Khawaja (43) and Labuschagne (33) threatened to drag the game away from a tiring England. When Labuschagne gloved Wood down leg and Bairstow dropped the catch – his eighth miss of a chastening series – it looked a killer blow.

Remarkably, though, Labuschagne slogged Moeen to deep midwicket off his very next ball and Smith followed close behind. His trademark concentration deserted him after a few short moments, flicking the spinner nonchalantly but straight to the waiting Ben Duckett.

When Woakes snapped up Khawaja’s outside edge – and Bairstow managed to hold on – it left things finely poised with day one centurion Mitchell Marsh (17no) and Travis Head (18no) at the crease.

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    Today marks the 50th anniversary of the first day that two of the greatest cricketers of all-time set foot on the international stage.

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    The 23-year-old Greenidge was officially the 150th West Indies Test player. He entered with a flourish, scoring 93 and 107. This piloted West Indies to a huge win by 267 runs and a great start to the five-match series.

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    The 22-year-old Richards is officially listed as the 151st West Indies Test player. He endured a tough start against the wizardry of Bhagwant Chandrasekhar. He fell to ace spinner in both innings for only three and four. But he rebounded in spectacular fashion next match with a sensational 192 not out at the Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi. He struck 20 fours and six towering sixes to showcase his prowess and announce his arrival. West Indies won the match by an innings.

    Sir Gordon said: “It was a great feeling ... a truly wonderful feeling to walk out and open the batting for the West Indies in my first Test match in India. You were going to face four of the best spinners in the world, and that was a frightening aspect. But I’m pleased to say I was able to overcome those fears pretty quicky and was able to get a formidable score and a personal achievement. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to triple figures in the first innings. But I was able to buckle down again in the second innings and got the hundred and the team won the Test match.”

    Sir Viv said: “I didn’t really expect to play … I thought I was going as a replacement … I hit some good form going into the series and the confidence was there. I remember in those day we had some huge crowds … They were maybe 60 000 to 70 000 people in the stands. They (India) were renowned for their spinners, Bedi, Prasanna, Chandrasekhar and Venkat, so it was just different in my perspective. Coming from a small island, you were playing in front of a crowd that was as many as the country where you lived… There was quite a lot happening. Those were testing times…”

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     Sir Gordon said: “Getting the nod to play for West Indies. I would have to say is the greatest moment of my career. In a land where people found it difficult to go and I managed to start so well. It might seem very strange to say that, but to get the opportunity to play, I would say I accomplished something that so many people dream of doing. I am happy to get that opportunity to play for the West Indies and for as long as I did. Representing the West Indies is the ultimate. We played for our people in the West Indies and the many people overseas who supported us.”

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    Bangladesh: Mehidy Hasan Miraz (Capt), Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Litton Das (wkt), Jaker Ali Anik, Taijul Islam, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana, Hasan Murad

     

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