MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Ben Stokes hit another century. Chris Woakes was in sight of a hat trick before he'd even completed the first over of India's second innings. Day 4 of the fourth test at Old Trafford on Saturday certainly started with a bang.
So much so that by lunch, and with the visitors 1-2 and 310 runs behind, there seemed the genuine possibility that England could claim a series-clinching victory without the need of going to the final day.
But given the way this thrilling and feisty series has gone, India was never likely to go down without a fight.
The odds are still stacked against the visitors holding out for a draw in Manchester. However, through the stubborn stand of KL Rahul (87 not out) and Shubman Gill (78 not out), they were given hope of salvaging something from the test and the five-match series as a whole, which England leads 2-1.
India ended the day on 174-2 and trailing by 137 after frustrating the hosts, and with some rain forecast for Sunday, England may run out of time to seal a win that looked so likely earlier in the day.
“It was very frustrating. We expected to get a few more wickets after the first over of the day,” said England assistant coach Marcus Trescothick. “But they (India) batted very well, they stuck at it.”
Stokes century
Stokes scored his 14th test century as England ran up a 311-run innings lead to seemingly put it in complete control.
A score of 141 continued his brilliant all-round performance after taking five wickets in India's first innings.
With his ton, the 34-year-old England captain became his country's fourth player to get five wickets and a century in a test.
“He’s been working really hard and just trying to find the rhythm and get the feeling back of getting those big scores,” said Trescothick. “I think we saw a couple of shots this morning which were back to his best almost.”
Having resumed on 544-7, England was determined to pile the pressure on India, reaching 669 all out. And it was Stokes's spectacular batting that enthralled the crowd — scoring his first test century in two years, including three sixes. After reaching his century, he took off his helmet, looked up to the sky and then raised his bat to acknowledge the crowd.
He was eventually caught by Sai Sudharsan off Ravindra Jadeja, who finished the innings with four wickets.
India collapses, India rallies
The end of the morning session could hardly have gone worse for India.
Yashasvi Jaiswal went for a duck after just four balls, caught by Joe Root off Woakes. And Woakes immediately struck again, to give himself a chance of a hat trick, when Sudharsan went for a golden duck, caught by Harry Brook.
At 1-2 at lunch, it looked like being a painful rest of the day for India, but through Rahul and Gill it rallied to 86-2 at tea. A resilient second session included a fourth 50 of the series for Gill.
India grew in confidence as the partnership of the two leading run-scorers in the series looked immovable through the evening session, with Rahul emulating Gill by also reaching a fourth 50 of the series.
Questions about Stokes' fitness
Stokes was brilliant with the bat but he was notable by his absence from the attack as England toiled with the ball.
Having retired hurt with cramp on Day 3, he opted against bowling, even as England struggled to come up with answers to stop India's rearguard action.
With a series-leading 16 wickets, Stokes may need to join the attack if the hosts are to dismiss India in time to claim victory.
“We're hoping that with another night’s rest and a bit more physio work overnight that he’ll be back and doing a bit tomorrow,” Trescothick said.
Should India hold on, it would head into the final test at the Oval with the chance of tying the series 2-2.
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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
James Robson, The Associated Press
