BEN'S DAY OF TWO HALVES

India dig in as energy fades

- By Mike Walters

EN STOKES’ happy hour with the bat landed Captain Fantastic another bunch of records on his ascent to cricket’s pantheon.

But unless he can throw off his superhero’s cape and bowl today, England’s chances of forcing victory against India at Old Trafford will be seriously diminished.

Stokes retired hurt with cramp when he had scored 66 on Friday and turned his second coming at the crease into his first Test century for more than two years.

‘Then came the magician’s disappearing act.

Needing 311 to stave off an innings defeat, India churned out 174-2 in the fourth Rothesay Test, but England’s best bowler this series was absent from the attack.

Stokes remained on parade, directing operations in the field, but he was clearly feeling the effects of bowling 24 overs in the first innings and his 141 in five-and-a-half hours with the bat.

And suddenly, England’s path to an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series looks gridlocked.

This pitch is dead, and unbroken third-wicket allies Shubman Gill and KL Rahul are both within sight of India’s first Test hundred at Manchester since 17-year-old Sachin Tendulkar’s match-saving 119 here in 1990.

Stokes’ encore as a born-again front-line bowler to balance the attack has been England’s greatest bonus this summer.