Well played Ben Stokes
Yup, well played. Not sure 2nd innings scores made when the game is gone really show what someone is capable of, so far all his runs have pretty much come in the 2nd innings of a Test when England were beaten.
I still feel he isn't a Test six, as well played and deserved as his hundred may be
it is what a batsman does in the 1st innings when the game is up for grabs
England's two biggest innings of the series so far have both been when set impossible targets, England were 20/2 at Adelaide (2nd innings) and 76/3 here, the aussies knowing they just needed time and they'd win meant runs were never really the issue.
Don't forget the field settings change when runs don't matter, as if the aussies (or anyone) would make it quite so easy 1st innings when leads are at stake and the match is decided. Had England made their 2nd innings total in the 1st innings then they may well have saved both games.
I wonder if there is a precedent for a side outscoring their 1st innings every Test.
1st Test : England 136 & 179
2nd Test : England 172 & 312
3rd Test : England 251 & 353
In fact there's a progression, each 1st innings getting bigger, likewise each 2nd innings. The thing that worries me with Stokes is this may lull England into retaining the same make up of the team, the way they've batted most of this series they ought to go to the make up should be put on their faces and dresses donned as they've played mainly like a bunch of girls!
I'd consider changing some of the faces in the side for the rest of the series, dump Carberry because he's just not the future and so far stuck in Ramprakash mode, even if he scored a heap of runs the contest is over and we'd just be keeping out someone who could be a future star opener - or arguably Root open, Bairstow or Ballance in.
You could then consider playing Stokes, I might even give the 30+ players all a rest but isn't that like 2/3 of the team. Without checking I'm guessing Cook, Carberry, Pietersen, Bell, Prior, Swann, Anderson and Bresnan are all 30+ - or damned near.
In batting order, 28, 33, 22, 33, 31, 22, 31, 28, 27, 34, 31 with Cook and Bresnan 28, the rest I was spot on and only two players below 27. Root is all but 23, but that is a team all about the now, little for the future. If it were football I'd be concerned if my team put out SIX 30+ year olds, three aged 27-28 and only a couple of relative youngsters, as it is there needs to be someone in line to come in and replace them but any time someone comes in they're either just as old or not given a proper chance. (and the Stokes issue I've cited I have is not with age, but whether he's a number six or not)