Stokes' 83 and record stand with Archer revives England's Ashes hopes
Adelaide (AP): Ben Stokes inspired a revival in England's Ashes campaign on Friday in a record 106-run ninth-wicket stand with Jofra Archer that cut Australia's first-innings lead to 85 in the third cricket test.
Stokes walked off the field yelling at himself and shaking his head after being bowled for 83 by Mitchell Starc late on the third morning, bringing an end to a defiant, 198-ball innings that dragged his team back ino the contest.
But he was instrumental in helping England reach 286 in its first innings.
Australia lost the wicket of Jake Weatherald, adjudged lbw to Brydon Carse in a decision he should have reviewed, to reach lunch on Day 3 at 17-1 in its second innings — an overall lead of 102.
England's comebackAfter losing the first two tests in Perth and Brisbane by eight wickets and allowing Australia to post 371 in the first innings here, England's chances of keeping the series alive seemed remote when Stokes went to the crease on Day 2 with the total at 71-4.
But he batted for almost two full sessions in the heat and was 45 not out from 151 deliveries by stumps, sharing a pivotal stand with No. 10 Archer after England was on the verge of collapsing at 168-8.
He resumed Friday with England at 213 for eight, still 158 behind with two wickets in hand but in conditions significantly cooler than the 40 Celsius (104 F) temperatures of Day 2.
Australia wanted to clean up the last two wickets quickly and start the second innings but Stokes and Archer, who took a five-wicket haul when England was bowling, dug in.
Stokes stepped down the wicket to Scott Boland for a driven boundary to bring up the 50 partnership off 89 balls, then raised his half-century with a single off 159 deliveries. It was his slowest 50 in test cricket — his 37th — but vital for his team.
Then the England pair started counterpunching against the old ball, with Archer lofting veteran spinner Nathan Lyon's half-volley for six over long-on.
Stokes hits a perfect cover drive to the boundary off Boland in the 73rd over, trying to accumulate as many runs as possible before the new ball arrived.
When it did, Archer was lucky to survive on 48 when a delivery from Mitchell Starc beat him and somehow missed the stumps.
Stokes, who was hit on the helmet and the thigh on Day 2, was knocked off his feet by a ball that jagged back from Pat Cummins and beat him and the wicketkeeper to race down to the boundary. It took the England partnership to triple figures.
Archer took a single off Cummins to reach his first test half-century off 97 balls, bringing England's deficit under 100.
But the innings ended relatively quickly after veteran left-armer Starc bowled Stokes with a delivery from over the wicket that angled back. The Stokes-Archer partnership was the highest ever for the ninth wicket for England at Adelaide.
Archer was out for 51, caught at slip, leaving Australia with a tricky period to navigate before the lunch interval.
England is capable of chasing a big target in the fourth innings, chasing 370-plus against India twice in the last three years, so Bazball won't be completely dispensed with despite Stokes' stoic first innings.
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Karnataka leads in AI: Minister Priyank Kharge at Impact Summit
Bengaluru (PTI): Minister Priyank Kharge on Wednesday highlighted the state’s leadership in AI and deep technology while engaging with global industry leaders and startups at a four-day summit held in New Delhi, officials said.
During the event, Priyank witnessed the signing of a strategic MoU between H Company and St John’s Medical College & Research Institute, Bengaluru, to pilot advanced enterprise AI for hospital operations and workflow automation, strengthening responsible AI in healthcare, the minister’s office said in a statement here.
Speaking on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit, the minister said Karnataka is ahead of the curve in AI.
“We are already home to leading global AI players such as Harvey AI and Anthropic, and The Walt Disney Company is expanding its AI network in Bengaluru,” he added.
Noting Bengaluru’s position among the top global cities for AI talent, he added, “Under our DeepTech Decade, we are supporting startups with grants of up to Rs 1 crore. We are engaging with global leaders and innovators to ensure responsible AI use, build the right skill sets, create strong incubators, and establish Centres of Excellence that can foster startups and strengthen e-governance.”
The minister also attended a roundtable organised by the US-India Business Council (USIBC), where discussions focused on strengthening technology collaboration, investment partnerships, and innovation-led growth between Karnataka and global enterprises.
He met Timo Harakka, Member of Parliament of Finland, to explore possibilities for collaboration between Karnataka and Finland in AI and deep-tech sectors, including joint research, innovation partnerships, and startup exchanges.
The Karnataka IT Minister also visited the Indian Army showcase at the summit, which featured advanced AI-driven defence and strategic technology applications, highlighting the role of AI in national security and modernisation efforts.
He toured the Karnataka Pavilion and the ArtPark Pavilion, interacting with founders and teams from Karnataka’s innovation ecosystem and reviewing emerging AI and deep-tech solutions, the statement added.
