England middle order positions depend on game situation, explains Ben Stokes

Joe Root’s side appeared to have settled on Buttler batting at five, with Stokes at six and Bairstow at seven, before Stokes emerged after the dismissal of Joe Denly – the third England wicket to fall – on Saturday evening

Ben Stokes has admitted that his batting position in England’s Test team will continue to fluctuate, despite making a first international century for two years in the draw with Australia at Lord’s.

Stokes’ unbeaten 115 in the second Test was an innings that both saved the game for England as well as setting up his bowlers for a push at bowling out the visitors on the final afternoon.

It was his first ton since reaching three figures against West Indies in August 2017. The makeup of England’s middle order has long been a bone of contention for critics, with Stokes, Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali all having occupied various batting spots in recent times.

Joe Root’s side appeared to have settled on Buttler batting at five, with Stokes at six and Bairstow at seven, before Stokes emerged after the dismissal of Joe Denly – the third England wicket to fall – on Saturday evening.

“It just depends on what happens in the game,” Stokes explained. “I went to five as I hadn’t bowled as many overs as I do. That’s why I went to No.6 – because my bowling workloads have gone up in the last few years.

“I said to Joe [Root] that I’m finding it hard going from bowling to getting my batting head on. I focus on the here and now. I’m sure it will change, we’re a very versatile batting line-up. Some days it might be Jonny at five, some days Jos – we’re all capable.”

Stokes’ hundred hardly came out of the blue, however. The Durham allrounder has been in terrific form all summer, culminating in a match-winning performance in the World Cup final at the same venue. He passed 80 on four occasions during that tournament alone.

^{Ben Stokes struck his first international hundred for two years}

“I have felt in good nick all summer,” he said. “Always nice I’ve had a few fifties, I got close, but nice to get to that three figure mark again – first time in a while I have got one - it was a nice feeling to get there but obviously a little but sour with the result in the end.

“We thought we had more than enough time to get them out. We didn’t want to give them a sniff because especially someone like David Warner, if you leave them 3.5 runs per over, you don’t want to give them that sniff.”

On the injury suffered by Steve Smith, Stokes was just pleased to see his Indian Premier League teammate recover and walk off the field.

“Not one of the nicest things to see on a cricket field,” he reflected. “Seeing someone go straight down like that was a pretty scary couple of minutes for everyone out there but it was great seeing him get back up.

“I messaged him last night to see how everything was. We’ve got a good relationship from playing together at Rajasthan and so does Jofra. I had a little giggle with him, which was good, saying Jofra’s a good shot to hit that pea-head.

“I think he was as in good a fettle as he could have been but, it was good to see him get back up and walk of the pitch.”

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