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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I am worried for all those who are worried about Abhishek's form: Suryakumar
Ahmedabad (PTI): Suryakumar Yadav was cheeky and sarcastic at the same time when the inevitable query on Abhishek Sharma's hattrick of ducks came up ahead of India's T20 World Cup game against South Africa on Sunday.
"About Abhishek's form, I worry for the people who are worried about Abhishek's form. I worry about them. Why are they so worried about Abhishek's form?" Surya, the protective skipper, who walks the talk when it comes to team ethos "All For one and One For All", said dismissing the query like his customary 'Supla' shot.
"Last year, Abhishek covered for all of us. Now it is our duty to cover for him," said Surya, with an obvious reference to his own wretched form that continued for last one year."
For world's No 1 ranked T20 batter Abhishek, the skipper was ready to go that extra mile for what all his junior teammate achieved in the one year run-up to the World Cup.
"But I think about those teams who are going to play against him. That he has not yet scored a run. You know the rest of the answers. When he scores a run, you have seen what happens. It happens, it's a team sport, it keeps going on."
Abhishek has been dismissed by off-spinner in successive games trying to slog and the skipper is least bothered about the type of bowling that's getting him out or the manner of dismissal.
For Surya, important point is to see Abhishek playing his natural attacking game, hell or high water.
"Our team requires a certain kind of game from Abhishek and he is trying to play in that manner. We never want him to lose his identity. If his method doesn't work, we are there to cover for him," Surya said.
During South Africa's practice session on Friday, skipper Aiden Markram, who bowls off-breaks, was seen trying to bowl keeping two cones one on off stick and one on the leg stick. It was an effort to keep it within line of three stumps.
This is a ploy that has given both Salman Ali Agha and Aryan Dutt success against Abhishek.
"Whether they put off-spinners or left-arm spinners, we have played so much cricket, I think everyone is well equipped. You won't get a rough patch even if an off-spinner bowls in first two overs. We play franchise cricket, domestic cricket. In that, off-spinners also bowl with the new ball so many times to the left-handers."
The skipper said that it is imperative to have one's own gameplan.
"Everyone has their own game plan of how to play and who to play. At that time, if the team has a requirement to play shots and make runs, then we will make runs against off-spinners also. But as I said, everyone has their own game plan."
