THRILL & BEN

Root admits he cannot calm Captain Fantastic

- by MIKE WALTERS

JOE ROOT conceded defeat in the battle to restrict Ben Stokes' workload after the England captain's immense shift in the Lord's thriller with India.

Mindful of knee and hamstring injuries which had restricted Stokes' capacity as a bowler in the last three years, backroom staff were fearful when he flogged himself during spells of nine and 11 overs to help England creep home by just 22 runs in the third Test on Monday.

But Root, whose 37th Test century sent him back to No.1 in the world rankings, admitted trying to take the ball off their Bazball ringmaster was like trying to retrieve your lunch from a crocodile's jaws.