Alex Lees has been guilty of baptizing only in one march, first. This time he baptized in third gear, and nothing more, driving four-quarters in his 20s, before leaving a ball of Jamieson around the harbor that hit the stump at lunch.
Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope were at least fired for good balls, worked by Jamieson and Trent Boult.
An inside edge and a loud noise in Jamieson were Crawley’s warning signs before he was trapped behind pushing a beauty that bounced and receded. Pope was caught by Boult bowling around the cover scoring two in 16 balls, unable to get out of the strike, before coming out of his misery.
Jonny Bairstow hit Boult three times, but with Jamieson entering the end of his spell, Bairstow had to restrain himself and read the situation. Instead, he made a long journey away from his body and was dragged along the inner edge showing again that No. 5 is too high for him.
Stokes has been so strong in recent years to play and move into deformed driving when he has measured conditions. But not this time. Trying to bring down De Grandhomme in his length, he made cross shots while marching through the field, flirting with danger. No wonder when he hit rock bottom, Stokes swore to himself as he left before being called back. There were shouts of ironic joy as he defended the next ball from the fold.
England were cautious after tea, adding 37 in 14 overs, before Kane Williamson threw the ball to Ajaz Patel. It was a gamble. Stokes had already swept him for six in his only over. He belted it twice in the grandstand, whistled in the open air while trying a third sweep that had just lost its stump, and rolled for four byes, as 17 were added in an over.
Stokes pushed Jamieson away by four for his fifties, and the goal was achieved before closing as he was playing. But there was no show on Saturday: Stokes grabbed a short ball from Jamieson from behind and walked away hitting his thigh.
Root moved to fifty, taking over the dominant role now that Stokes had disappeared. He was 34 of 89 when he lost to Stokes, but added 43 of 42 with Foakes only bringing eight to the stands in the fifties. Root has turned eight of his last 12 fifties into hundreds. Make this new one and win England.