Another sporting drama, albeit of a different nature, was provided by England cricketer Ben Stokes’ return to the crease. He took 6-52 in a recent warm-up game against the England Lions. This performance follows a nearly four month layoff from a shoulder injury. At number eight, Stokes bowled 16 overs in three spells. His heroic performance burned down the Lions’ batting order, knocking out five of their first six batsmen.
The warm-up match was a very important preparation for our England squad with their short series against Sri Lanka just around the corner. Stokes’s bowling brilliance was only outdone by his intensity and focus in the final session, where he rose to the occasion with skill and fire. His return is an enormous shot in the arm for the team. He had recently been working back from a serious injury that had kept him off the field for most of the prior year.
Along with Stokes’s notable bowling, Will Jacks added a further 84 runs from 85 balls with the bat to help the cause. Jacks was at the heart of a cavalier approach, striking eight fours and three sixes. His innings offered poise and pace to the batting team while the pressure was being installed by Stokes and other stormtroopers.
So splendid was Stokes’s performance that the day’s mood was soured, rightly, by fellow bowler Mark Wood’s serious injury. Wood stuck to his pre-planned burying strategy and blasted through eight overs. Unfortunately, that final touchdown drive was overshadowed by him having to leave the field due to a hamstring issue. This injury sent shockwaves through the community. Wood had just gone through nine months of recovery from another knee injury that had kept him off the court.
With Wood departing, Joe Root stepped up admirably, bowling 14 overs of off-spin to fill the gap in the bowling attack. Root’s work ensured the game was steady in England’s control as Stokes remained the man in his purple patch with his brilliant bludgeon to perfection.
The visitors could never find a foothold in the game, eventually crashing to an unwanted record total of 382 all out. Ben McKinney put on a show, striking 67 runs. At the same time, Jordan Cox and Matthew Potts both helped out immensely with their contributions of 53 runs apiece. Their attempts proved inadequate in the face of a varied England bowling line-up spearheaded by Stokes.
Jofra Archer was another key protagonist in the match, claiming figures of 1-49 during his spell. His all around skill set provided the deepest bowling lineup to the lineup. It was Stokes who really stole the show with his incredible return.
As the England roster gets ready for the new obstacles before them, Stokes’s showing will certainly help lift the spirits. That doesn’t mean concerns aren’t swirling about Wood’s readiness, which might shape how the team plans to approach the rest of the season.
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