WELLINGTON: The fitness of all-rounder Ben Stokes will be a key factor for England as they seek to win the second match, starting Friday, against New Zealand in Christchurch and improve on a woeful record that has seen them lose 10 of their last 12 overseas Tests.
Stokes hurt his back during the one-dayers that preceded the two-Test series and did not bowl in the first match at Eden Park, which England lost by an innings and 49 runs.
The 26-year-old is still undergoing checks to determine whether he is fit to be England’s fifth bowler in the second Test at Hagley Oval which takes place with the cricket world in uproar over Australia’s ball tampering scandal in South Africa.
Stokes batted at number five at Eden Park, scoring a patient 66 in the second innings and sharing in several partnerships that had threatened to snatch an unlikely draw after the tourists were bowled out for 58 in their first innings.
Comfortably
Stokes’ knock had showed coach Trevor Bayliss he could comfortably bat in the top-five.
“The way he went about it over the last home summer, it stood out that he had the ability to be a world-class number five,” Bayliss told reporters earlier this week. “I think we saw that again.
“When it was tough and under a lot of a pressure, he led from the front doing the hard yards.”
Stokes’ fitness to bowl is likely to determine whether fellow all-rounder Moeen Ali retains his spot, with Bayliss putting the pressure on the off-spinner.
Moeen struggled in England’s 4-0 Ashes loss in Australia late last year, scoring just 179 runs at 19.88. More importantly, he took just five wickets at an average of 115.
Moeen scored 0 and 28 in the first Test and was unable to get any appreciable turn on the drop-in pitch at Eden Park.
“I’m sure he’s disappointed with the way he’s gone,” Bayliss said. “This winter away I’m sure hasn’t gone how he would have liked. I’m sure that will be a discussion.”