Fabulous cricketer Chris Woakes can mitigate impact of Ben Stokes absence and help England wrap up series
It may be a worry in the long-term but the knee injury that has sidelined Ben Stokes should not make any difference to the outcome of England’s remaining two Tests against Sri Lanka when the action resumes on Friday.
In Chris Woakes they have a ready replacement who is bowling well and will be full of confidence after taking nine wickets and career-best figures for Warwickshire just this week.
Woakes is a fabulous cricketer – more of a bowling all-rounder – and I expect the 27-year-old will be pushing for a regular place now. He is certainly one for the future.
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Stokes, who has had knee surgery after tearing cartilage in England’s first Test win, is a loss, though, and his explosive style will be missed, especially against better opponents.
Although they wrapped up the victory in three days, England got off to a sticky start last week at Headingley, which is a completely different – and tricky – place to play when it is cloudy.
Conditions were good for the bowlers and Sri Lanka took advantage in the morning, in particular Dasun Shanaka, who caught the eye with three wickets in the space of eight balls on his debut.
Bairstow second only to Root
But then Jonny Bairstow came to the crease and produced one of the best Test knocks that I have seen for a while, his 140 steering England to a first innings total of 298.
Bairstow has improved so much in the last year and he showed that he is now up there in the top two or three players in the country, perhaps only behind Joe Root.
Alex Hales, whose place at the top of the order has been under pressure, also did his bit. He departed from his normal style and grafted his way to a valuable 86.
More to come from genius Anderson
Then James Anderson and Stuart Broad took over and gave a demonstration of how to bowl, even if Sri Lanka were poor.
I want to praise Anderson especially. England’s leading Test and one-day wicket-taker, 33, just keeps on going, and I reckon he can go on to reach another milestone or two yet.
He is nothing short of a genius in English conditions and I anticipate that he’ll shine again during a summer in which Pakistan will tour these shores next.
Tourists up against it at Durham
Sri Lanka need to put up more of a fight in the second and third Tests, although they are going through a difficult spell as they adjust to the absence of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.
They are used to hard, flat pitches, so they find it more difficult at this time of year and in these conditions, when it is cold and the ball swings.
I don’t think the hosts will roll them over quite as easily as before but Durham, where the second Test will be held, could be even harder to play at than Headingley, so I see another win for England.