England Test captain Ben Stokes is “fit to bowl” despite not featuring with the ball as Australia built a sizeable lead on day three of the third Ashes Test in Adelaide.
Travis Head struck a magnificent, unbeaten 142 as Australia closed on 271-4, leading by 356 to leave England – already 2-0 down in the series – on the brink of Ashes defeat with two Tests to play.
Stokes top-scored with 83 in England’s first-innings 286, an innings that lasted more than five hours across days two and three, with the England captain seemingly shown to be struggling with cramp in the searing 40-degree heat of the second afternoon.
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Sky Sports’ Nasser Hussain reviews day three of the Ashes of the third Test in Adelaide where Travis Head’s century drives England closer to Ashes defeat.
Stokes then didn’t bowl himself during the first 66 overs of Australia’s second innings, with England bowling coach Jeetan Patel simply describing him as “knackered” as opposed to his absence being down to injury.
“He’s taken a lot out of himself to get through this point in the game,” Patel told reporters after Friday’s play. “I think he might be a bit tired and just need a bit of time to himself right now.
“We all know he doesn’t do anything at 80 per cent. Maybe he thought he was a risk, so he didn’t bowl.
“If he thinks he can’t do it at 100 per cent, I don’t think he’s going to do it. That’s probably where he’s at.
“My sense is he’s just pretty knackered.”
England captain Ben Stokes seemed to be struggling with the 40-degree heat in Adelaide when batting on day two
Stokes similarly didn’t bowl himself for the first 64 overs of England’s drawn Test against India at Old Trafford this summer, and though he’d bowl 11 on day five, he subsequently missed the fifth Test at The Oval with a shoulder injury.
Having returned from that injury in time for The Ashes, England will be hoping Stokes hasn’t suffered yet another setback following prior hamstring tears and knee injuries that have also blighted his international career.
As for his England’s fading Ashes hopes, Patel called on Stokes’ side to pull off “something magical” over the final two days in Adelaide.
“I still believe there’s an opportunity for us,” he said. “It won’t be easy, we’re going to need something magical. I think it’s about time we saw something magical from us.
“Three games in, we’ve thrown some but taken a lot. It’s about time, now we’re backed into a corner, to throw some haymakers back.”
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