Daily Times

LONDON: England stand-in skipper and star all-rounder Ben Stokes is regarded as one of the best all-rounders in world cricket, across formats. In the first Test against West Indies in Southampton, he achieved a rare feat. He became the second-fastest player to get a double of 4000 Test runs and 150 wickets. While Stokes achieved this in 64 Tests, West Indian Gary Sobers did it in 63 Tests. Now he is in esteemed company of players like Ian Botham, Kapil Dev, Jacques and Daniel Vettori. On Friday, during his effort of 4-49, he reached the milestone when he dismissed Alzzari Joseph. Earlier, West Indies batsmen Kraigg Brathwaite and Shane Dowrich ensured that their team took a first-innings lead of over a hundred runs against England on the third day of the first Test at Southampton on Friday. Dowrich made 61 after opener Brathwaite had top-scored with 65 in a total of 318 all out.

Dowrich showed grit and determination to score a fifty. He held firm for 115 balls until he was caught down the legside by opposing gloveman Jos Buttler off Stokes. For most part of the day, it was a struggle for England bowlers, and missed the presence of veteran paceman Stuart Broad. Bowlers like Archer and Wood struggled to make an impression on a placid pitch. They took just one wicket between them in a combined 44 overs –– and that was only when Wood bowled last man Shannon Gabriel to end the innings. Shamarh Brooks made a promising 39 before he was caught behind off James Anderson, with England’s all-time leading Test wicket-taker returning innings figures of 3-62.