England’s slide towards likely defeat to New Zealand in the second Test has taken place on the same day absent captain Ben Stokes scored 95 for his county side Durham.
Stokes was left out of the side pending an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) investigation into an incident in a London nightclub after the first Test victory at Lord’s.
He joined his Durham teammates in a four-day County Championship Division Two match against Northamptonshire in Chester-le-Street.
The all-rounder has been missed by England at The Oval, where the hosts ended day four on 5-182, chasing a mammoth victory target of 463.
No decision has been announced as to whether Stokes will return as captain or just a member of the team for the third Test at Trent Bridge next week.
The ECB is waiting for a report from the Cricket Regulator into Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson, who broke the team curfew after the 115-run win in the opening Test.
Joe Root has deputised as England skipper in the absence of Stokes.
Root became only the second player to reach 14,000 Test runs as he led his side’s resistance with an unbeaten half-century.
He came to the crease two runs shy of the milestone, which only Indian great Sachin Tendulkar has reached and with England tottering on 2-13.
Root reached stumps on 75 not out.
Reuters
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