England captain Ben Stokes is probably not enjoying within the Check sequence in opposition to Sri Lanka on account of a hamstring harm, however he is nonetheless concerned throughout the England dressing room. This allowed a hilarious second to happen at Outdated Trafford on Friday, the place the match cameras have been in a position to seize a person within the crowd who seemed like a carbon copy of Stokes. With Stokes current on the floor, followers may additionally seize his laughing response after seeing his lookalike on the large display screen. Very like Stokes, this fan possessed a ginger coiffure and beard. When he was proven on display screen, the England captain raised his thumb in approval. Nonetheless, moments later, the fan would open his jacket to disclose ‘Stokesy 55’ written on the again of his jersey.
Watch: Ben Stokes’ lookalike!
Stokesy pic.twitter.com/qDZEqN4hbh
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 23, 2024
Stokes could not assist however grin, as the group additionally cheered the coincidence.
Joe Root’s gritty unbeaten 62 guided England to a five-wicket win within the first Check in opposition to Sri Lanka at Outdated Trafford on Saturday.
Set 205 to win, England have been faltering at 56-2 when star batsman Root got here in shortly earlier than tea on the fourth day.
However along with Yorkshire team-mate Harry Brook (32) he shared a grinding partnership of 49 in 20 overs — a far cry from England’s ‘Bazball’ strategy of latest years — though a nonetheless sluggish outfield made boundaries exhausting to come back by.
The match, nonetheless, was again within the steadiness when Brook chipped a return catch to left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, with England 119-4 and nonetheless needing an additional 86 runs to win.
However Jamie Smith, contemporary from a maiden Check century within the first innings, gave Root nice assist with a brisk 39 throughout a stand of 64 as England went 1-0 up in a three-match sequence after ending on 205-5.
It was one other signal of the 24-year-old wicketkeeper’s admirable big-match temperament, Smith’s performances with the bat in Manchester minimising the affect of normal captain Ben Stokes’s absence with a series-ending torn hamstring.
That Sri Lanka took this match so deep into the fourth day was a testomony to their resilience after that they had collapsed to 6-3 on the opening morning.
They continued that struggle within the discipline on Saturday earlier than Smith broke the shackles with successive fours off Jayasuriya earlier than later pulling him for six.
By the point he was bowled by Asitha Fernando, England have been in sight of victory at 183-5.
(With AFP Inputs)
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