STOKES IS PITCH PERFECT

Skipper strikes with last ball after Carse lights up Lord's

- by MIKE WALTERS

BEN STOKES uprooted nightwatchman Akash Deep’s off stump to rattle India in this barmy, barnstorming, bad-tempered third Rothesay Test.

For much of the day, Stokes was staring down the barrel as India’s brilliant bowlers took charge on a wearing fourth-day pitch. And as the tourists set about a modest 193 to win, they seemed to be in control, losing just opener Yashasvi Jaiswal to Jofra Archer. Then pace bowler Brydon Carse stepped in, pinning Karun Nair and big-scoring skipper Shubman Gill lbw in a fiery spell.

And as England began to rally the Lord’s crowd to their cause, Stokes struck at the death to leave India on 58-4.

It means they still need another 135 to go 2-1 up in the five-Test series.