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Stokes still to decide whether he will bowl in decisive Test

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July 24, 2020 18:06 IST

'I might be able to rock 'n roll some off-spin if needed!'

Ben Stokes

IMAGE: Ben Stokes said he had not undergone much treatment as it was not clear exactly what the injury was. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images for ECB

Ben Stokes says he will decide day-by-day whether he will be able to bowl for England in the third and final Test against the West Indies as he struggles with injury.

 

"I've been better," Stokes said before the start of the first day's play on Friday. "But we were in a situation in the last game where everyone just had to throw everything that we possibly had at them."

Stokes' heroics carried England to a 113-run victory which levelled the series at 1-1 but left him with a quadriceps injury.

"It's going to be a day-by-day thing to see (whether I can bowl). Yesterday I tested out my quad and I was a little bit worried I wouldn't be able to offer everything that I possibly could with the ball, especially in the first innings," he told Sky television before play started. The tourists put England into bat after winning the toss.

"But hopefully as the game goes on, and it settles down, I might be able to rock 'n roll some off-spin if needed!," he joked.

He said he had not undergone much treatment as it was not clear exactly what the injury was.

"I've just tried to spend as much time off my feet resting and now we'll just have to play it by ear."

England were already anticipating less of a contribution with the ball from their star all-rounder and changed their side to compensate by adding a fourth seamer.

They brought both James Anderson and Jofra Archer back into the attack with Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes retained from the second Test, leaving out number three batsman Zak Crawley and all-rounder Sam Curran.

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