It only took England Test captain Ben Stokes five balls to take his first wicket on his return from injury.
The 33-year-old had been sidelined since December after tearing his left hamstring in New Zealand, an injury similar to the one he picked up during The Hundred a few months before.
Now, after binning the booze and racing to get back to his best ahead of the away Ashes series in the winter, it didn’t take long for Stokes to show off his skills.
Live Test Cricket
Saturday 24th May 10:15am
Stokes’ first ball back was a no-ball after he overstepped, but he managed to recover quickly, and his following delivery should have been a wicket had Joe Root not dropped Brian Bennett on 89 in the slip cordon.
However, in Stokes’ following over, he created another chance when Sikandar Raza (7) nicked behind to Jamie Smith.
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Highlights from day two of the one-off Test between England and Zimbabwe
He didn’t stop there, either. In the next over, Stokes bowled five outswingers, which Wesley Madhevere (0) defended, before firing in an inswinger that caught his inside edge and cannoned on to his stumps, leaving Zimbabwe 199-5 before tea.
“Stokes has this Botham-esque capacity to come on and make things happen straightaway,” said Sky Sports’ Michael Atherton on commentary.
Mark Butcher added: “Stokes appears to be bowling with a different ball to everyone else. He is making it move both ways. So much control.”
Stokes needs to manage workload
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Nasser Hussain believes the England staff should be more assertive when telling Stokes when to stop bowling for his best interests
Since undergoing surgery in January, Stokes has undertaken “one of the longest rehab periods of his career”, according to the skipper, which has him returning to the Test arena fitter than he has ever been.
“I always work hard,” Stokes said previously. “My ethos when I’m injured is I come back fitter than I was before I got injured.
“I’ve worked incredibly hard on all aspects of everything, from my cricket to fitness, and know I’m going to be in a position when I am back on the field to potentially be in physically the best possible shape I have been in.”
Stokes remains a vital component of the squad with his on-field decisions and match awareness. He continued to create chances, bringing Ollie Pope into short leg just prior to him taking a stunning catch while diving to his left during Zimbabwe’s first innings.
And though that Josh Tongue dismissal of Bennett was overruled for a no-ball, the pair would succesfully combine twice more before stumps as the visitors were made to follow on, closing on 30-2 in their second innings still some 270 runs in arrears.
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Shoaib Bashir finds the breakthrough for England against Zimbabwe during the afternoon session on day two of their one-off Test
Stokes’ workload remains a concern. His former team-mate, Stuart Broad, said Stokes promised him over text he wouldn’t bowl anything longer than five-over spells.
“I don’t think Stokes needs to carry on after tea,” Broad added on commentary.
“He has done a great job taking two wickets and needs to realise he hasn’t bowled competitively since pre-Christmas.
“The intensity between training and games is different. You put so much more through your body.
“He might want to bowl a six, seven-over spell, but he doesn’t need to.”
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Brian Bennett was dismissed by Gus Atkinson during the evening session on day two of the one-off Test match between England and Zimbabwe, falling for just one after making a record-fastest century in the first innings
Stokes bowled a 3.2-over spell, taking two wickets and conceding 11 runs during Zimbabwe’s first innings, which the pundits believed was more than enough.
“The management of his physical condition is so vital to this team, you feel that shorter spells are the way forward,” said former England white-ball captain Eoin Morgan.
“Yes, he does have a huge impact. He leads from the front. He absolutely embodies everything that this team stands for.
“How he manages that throughout this summer and winter will have a big impact on the success of this side.
“[England] have achieved a lot in a short space of time with Stokes, he’s been incredible to watch and has an extraordinary attitude towards the game.”
Watch day three of the one-off Test between England and Zimbabwe live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 10.15am on Saturday (11am first ball).
