England profit as masterful Stokes turns back the clock

Ben Stokes raised the ball that he had swung to dismiss Anshul Kamboj for a duck.

- RICHARD JOLLY AT OLD TRAFFORD

Stokes has received plenty of applause and acclaim in the last few years, but never for this. The days when he took five wickets in an innings seemed consigned to the past; sometimes he didn't take five in a series.

A day that featured a terrific opening partnership between Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley was shaped by the bowling double act of Jofra Archer and Stokes. The England captain was in fine company in another respect. Only Garry Sobers, Ian Botham and Jacques Kallis had made at least 10 Test centuries and got a minimum of five five-wicket hauls. Now Stokes is the fourth all-rounder in a select group. At a point in his career when he has gone two years without a Test hundred, his revival as a bowler was cemented with a landmark.

Stokes being Stokes, it came when it mattered. England have the advantage heading into day three, just as their series lead owes much to Stokes's efforts with the ball at Lord's. He has been England's best bowler this series. He swings it more than Brydon Carse. He is quicker than Chris Woakes. He may be more durable than Jofra Archer.

His first wicket of the Test was his biggest: Shubman Gill trapped leg before wicket without playing a shot. Sai Sudharsan and Washington Sundar were both caught at long leg but Stokes has the pace to bounce them. Shardul Tharkur was brilliantly held by Duckett in the gully. Kamboj got a beauty. He finished with 24-3-72-5, the last number significant, but the first as well.