India held up by Captain Fantastic at Old Trafford

UP IN the party stand, Old Trafford's vast scaffolding carbuncle, the mood was buoyant — but Ben Stokes was poles apart.

- By Mike Walters

England's best bowler in a gripping series landed the most forceful blows on day one of this fourth Test to gain some traction on his latest audacious call at the toss.

And as India made their way to 264-4 at the close, with dangerman Rishabh Pant retiring hurt, Stokes threw off his superhero's cape and kept the party going.

Every year they build a sprawling, uncovered tribune here in the gap where the stage goes at money-spinning pop concerts.

And Stokes, whose figures of 2-47 do not flatter him, was hungry to make life tricky for the batters on a flat pitch.

If India were upset to lose their 14th international toss in a row, at mathematical odds of 16,384-1, they concealed their disappointment by making it through to lunch unscathed.