BEN STOKES batted, bowled and fielded himself to a standstill with an inspirational performance in the Second Test.
He did everything in this match, scoring slow runs and fast runs, bowling with hostility and intimidation and once even running 70 yards to field off his own bowling.
Stokes became the only England player in history to score more than 250 runs and take more than two wickets in the same Test.
By the end, his body was a tortured mess of aches and pains and he was even forced to abort an over with the match virtually won.
He stayed on the field to taste the glory of victory and the word from the England camp was that he was… well, knackered.
There were tremendous contributions from other England players – notably Stuart Broad, who took three of the first four Windies second innings wickets after his game-changing spell on Sunday.
But this was Stokes’ Match.
Stokes said: “I try to do whatever is required at the time. It’s gone well for me but there were so many other moments that swung the game our way – particularly that bowling by Broady and Chris Woakes on Sunday.
“There’s a real understanding all the hard work you do behind the scenes will benefit you on the field. As a team, we’re so committed to each other.
“I’ve been around quite a long time and understand that we want to pave the way for England cricketers in 20 years’ time.
“A big thing for us is taking the cap forward and having that motto floating around for the next generation of cricketers who want to be in our position.”
In two games so far in this series, Stokes has 343 runs at an average of 114.33 and nine wickets at 16.33.
England were totally dominant and won by 113 runs despite the third day being washed out. The series is level at 1-1 with the decider back at Old Trafford on Friday.
Thanks mainly to Stokes, whose fifty from 36 balls was the fastest ever by an England opener, 92 runs were plundered from 11 overs at the start of the day which allowed Root to leave his bowlers 85 overs to win the game.
Opener John Campbell was caught behind in the first over. Oddly, wicketkeeper Jos Buttler didn’t appeal but bowler Broad and Stokes (yes, him) in the slips persuaded Root to review and, sure enough, there was a tremor on snicko.
Kraigg Brathwaite, the Windies’ batsman most likely to play a long innings, was lbw to a nip-backer from Woakes. And then Shai Hope was bowled by Broad.
When Roston Chase was lbw offering no shot – giving Broad his third wicket – the Windies were 37-4 with another 70 over to go.
Shamarh Brooks would have been caught behind on 17 but England did not ask for a review, which showed the ball brushed his glove as well as his arm.
Stokes unleashed one of his violent spells, bombarding both Brooks and Jermaine Blackwood with short stuff from around the wicket. For the second day running, he bowled 11 overs straight with bouncers his stock delivery.
His effort on Sunday produced figures of 11-3-22-1. Yesterday they were 11-4-20-1.
Once, when Blackwood punched down the ground off the back foot, Stokes turned and chased the ball for 70 yards himself. He dived despairingly but the batsmen had run four anyway. Talk about commitment.
Two balls later, Stokes received his reward. Blackwood couldn’t get his gloves out of the way of another short ball and Buttler, diving forward from behind the stumps, clung on.
Shane Dowrich, jumping around the crease, was leg before to Woakes, who registered his 100th Test wicket.
Woakes completed the Test double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in his 34th Test. There are plenty of top players below him – it took Jason Holder 39 Tests to reach the mark and Stokes 43, Andrew Flintoff 43 and the great Garry Sobers 48.
Brooks went back when he should have gone forward to Sam Curran and was lbw and Holder was bowled by a beauty that turned sharply through the gate. Alzarri Joseph, who cannot resist temptation with willow in his hand, drove Stokes to backward point.
And England’s victory was completed when Ollie Pope snaffled another of his superb short leg catches off Bess.
