Concerned England skipper Alastair Cook admits the prospect of Ben Stokes taking the field against Pakistan in next week’s pivotal third Test at Edgbaston looks bleak after the all-rounder sustained a calf injury.
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Confirmation of a calf tear nearly certainly rules Stokes out of the rest of the Test series, although England have indicated he will be reviewed by the medical team in Birmingham on Monday.
Stokes had surgery to remove some loose pieces of cartilage in his knee after the first Test against Sri Lanka at Leeds before missing the final two Tests, the four one day internationals and a solitary T20 that followed against the same opposition.
Victory was England’s second-biggest against Pakistan in terms of runs.
“We have to improve in every department”.
Finn, Ball and Rashid were all included in an original 14-man squad for Old Trafford, with the two quicks losing out to James Anderson, returning from a shoulder injury, and Stokes when it came to a place in the XI.
England captain Alastair Cook picked his top three moments from the thumping, series-levelling second Test victory over Pakistan in Manchester.
Stokes will have a scan on Tuesday on the injury, which came when he was bowling during England’s 330-run win against Pakistan. The third Investec Test starts at Edgbaston on August 3; the fourth at The Oval on August 11.
The four-match Test series is now tied 1-1, with both England and Pakistan winning one match each.
“We know we can get a bit of pace and bounce in the wicket, it does suit our bowlers and the nicks carry, even at Lord’s they didn’t get away from us with the bat”.
“He is a big player for us; he adds a lot of spark to the team”.
Hampshire captain Vince has yet to make a Test fifty in seven innings and was once more caught off an edged drive, for 18, at Old Trafford. “We can have a result like this after a good game but we can also bounce back from it. Mentally they are capable of coming back”.
“More importantly the shot selection was just not right especially from the senior players”.
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“Our first innings batting performance in the second test was a disaster and I think the batsmen need to show more aptitude and resilience and try to stay at the wicket in the second innings”, he said.
