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England Level Series With Day to Spare

The third test starts at Birmingham’s Edgbaston ground on August 3.

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England captain Alastair Cook hailed the character of his side as they cruised to a 330-run series-levelling victory over Pakistan in the second Investec Test at Old Trafford.

Pakistan’s batting crumbled against England’s impeccable seamers with the second innings ending after tea as the tourists chased an unlikely record target of 565.

The England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed Stokes will go for the scan after the pivotal all-rounder pulled up mid-over on the fourth afternoon against Pakistan in the second Test.

England’s medical team will continue to assess Stokes during the third Test at Edgbaston, starting next Wednesday, as Jake Ball and Steven Finn are included in the squad in Stokes’ absence.

Younus Khan had a left-off before lunch when he was dropped in the slips by Cook off Ben Stokes.

A torn calf muscle could be mean as many six weeks out for Stokes whose importance to the balance of the English side was all too evident in the first Test where the hosts missed his all-round abilities in the 75-run defeat.

“He bats, bowls and he s a leader in the field – so it is a bit of a hole”.

The four-match series between England and Pakistan is locked at 1-1.

Pakistan never really stood a chance of batting out almost two full days for a draw, especially after James Anderson took two early wickets before lunch.

Cook, who made a first innings hundred, was 49 not out and vice-captain Joe Root, whose 254 in the same innings was his Test-best score, unbeaten on 23.

On Anderson’s fitness, Cook said: “I think Jimmy (Anderson) is fine, I think naturally your first Test match back he will be a little bit sore but he’s fine”.

“We were hoping to bowl them out a lot quicker and then they’d be fresh to take the new ball when we enforced”.

England’s bowling attack – shorn of injured all-rounder Ben Stokes – bowled with no pressure thanks to the mammoth lead put together by their batsmen, Alastair Cook (76 not out) and Joe Root (71no) adding 75 to their overnight total before declaring on 173-1.

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“He added: “[Our top-order batting] is a worry because without scoring 300-plus runs its hard to apply pressure and you can’t really win games.

England's Ben Stokes centre holds is leg after a delivery and before going off injured during day four of the second test against Pakistan at Old Trafford Manchester England Monday