Stokes ends two-year wait for Test hundred before India collapse in fourth Test

MANCHESTER: England captain Ben Stokes ended his more than two-year wait for a Test hundred before India sensationally lost two wickets without a run on the scoreboard as the hosts pressed for a series-clinching win at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Stokes’ dominant 141 powered England to 669 all out – their fifth-highest total of all time – on the fourth day of the fourth Test.

That gave England, already 2-1 up in this five-match series, a huge first-innings lead of 311 runs.

There was still time for India to face a tricky three overs before lunch.

And Chris Woakes then raised English hopes of a victory in Manchester with more than a day to spare by striking with successive balls of the first over of India’s second innings as both Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan fell for ducks.

Jaiswal nicked the fourth ball of the over, a good length delivery that seamed away, to first slip where Joe Root dropped a two-handed chance but clung on with one at the second attempt.

Next ball Sudharsan, uncertain whether to play or leave, produced a woeful shot that ended with an outside edge to Harry Brook at second slip.

India captain Shubman Gill survived a legside hat-trick ball from veteran paceman Woakes but at lunch the tourists were still in dire straits at 1-2.

Root moves to third in all-time top test run scorer charts as England close on India

England resumed in the already commanding position of 544-7 after Root had become the second-highest run-scorer in Test history during his majestic 150 on Friday.

Stokes hits out

Stokes, 77 not out overnight after briefly leaving the field with cramp Friday following his first fifty of the series, was in superb touch Saturday.

The left-handed batsman twice cover-drove Mohammed Siraj for superb fours as he went to 88.

Stokes charged down the pitch to drive Bumrah for three to go to 99 and then spent several deliveries one run short of three figures, with the world’s top-ranked Test bowler beating the England skipper on the outside edge.

But Stokes went to his century with a leg-glanced four off paceman Bumrah – his ninth boundary in 164 balls faced.

It was all-rounder Stokes’ first Test hundred in over two years following a whirlwind 155 against Australia at Lord’s in June 2023.

The 34-year-old celebrated his 14th century in 115 Tests by clenching his fist, looking to the sky and making a crooked finger gesture in honour of his late father Ged Stokes before raising his bat to a cheering crowd.

His hundred capped a brilliant display with both bat and ball by Stokes, England’s leading bowler this series, after the lively fast-medium seamer had taken 5-72 in India’s first-innings 358.

Stokes is just the fourth England player to take five wickets and score a hundred in the same Test after Tony Greig, Ian Botham – who did it five times – and the currently sidelined Gus Atkinson.

With the shackles off, Stokes then straight drove Washington Sundar for six – although his expression suggested he thought he would be caught on the boundary – and next ball he reverse swept the off-spinner for four.

Stokes then launched Ravindra Jadeja for six but next ball, trying to repeat the stroke, he holed out off the left-arm spinner with England exactly 300 runs ahead at 658-9 before

Bryson Carse, who mad a useful 47, was last man out when he too was caught in the deep off Jadeja, who finished with 4-143 from 37.1 overs.