Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
CHRIS OF LIFE
Hundred hero Woakes and Bairstow rescue England and put them in pole position
GENUINE all-rounders are the precious diamonds of Test cricket, and England have another shining jewel in Chris Woakes.
He demolished India to score a maiden Test century, fittingly at the home of cricket.
Woakes’ majestic unbeaten 120 inspired England to take complete command of the second Test – and gave him the rare privilege of a place on both the bowling and batting honours boards.
He also won an emotional standing ovation from the crowd and his team-mates on the dressing room balcony.
They know the unassuming, mild-mannered 29-year-old is one of the true nice guys of sport. New father Woakes, who daughter Layla was born just five weeks ago, said: “It’s a special day, an incredible feeling.
“A century wasn’t on the radar, and I didn’t know how to react. The lads asked where the baby celebration was, but it was all just a bit of blur really.”
Woakes shared a sixth-wicket stand of
189 with Jonny
Bairstow who was out seven short of his own ton as England reached 357-6 at the close, a lead of 250.
“The arrival of the baby has been a shock to the system,” he said. “But it’s fantastic and put things in perspective. I’ve had some injury problems this summer, but today was so sweet. I was getting a bit nervous through the 90s, even a bit earlier, and started wafting outside the off stump but Jonny had a word to settle me.”
Woakes was only called up for this game because Ben Stokes was absent, standing trial on a charge of affray at Bristol Crown Court.
What a replacement Woakes has been – with bat and ball. On Friday he captured the crucial wicket of India captain Virat Kohli (above) in a sublime spell of swing bowling.
Yesterday he pulverised the tourists with an innings that gave him a place in history. Only six other Englishmen have achieved the distinction of being on both honours boards – Gubby Allen, Ray Illingworth, Ian Botham, Freddie Flintoff, Stuart Broad and Stokes himself. Woakes now belongs in their company.
He had arrived at the crease with England wobbling at 131-5 just after lunch in reply to India’s meagre first innings 107.
Another wicket and the match would have been up for grabs. Instead, Woakes and Bairstow totally transformed the game.
Batting conditions were hardly a picnic and five of England’s skittish top six failed to get past 30. A little fortune was required but Woakes and Bairstow earned whatever luck carried them on their merry way.
They also began to pepper the boundary with delicious drives and pulls as India’s trio of fast bowlers started to tire in the
afternoon and the spinners failed to bewitch.
Woakes motored swiftly after tea, going past his previous best Test score of 66, also made at Lord’s. His century was reached with a lofted drive to leg and celebrated with a huge swish of his bat and the widest smile you will see in a long time.
His stats at Lord’s are without equal. His bowling average at is under 10; his batting average above 100. They are incredible numbers.
Bairstow’s departure, caught behind of the bowling of Hardik Pandya for 93, brought in another promising all-rounder, Sam Curran, and he instantly bashed India’s left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav out of the action with some powerful shots before finishing the day 22 not out. Earlier Curran’s fellow Surrey 20-year-old Ollie Pope looked a natural at this level, the Test debutant clipping his second ball to the boundary. He went on to a polished 28 before being trapped lbw by an inswinger from Pandya. The more senior batsmen flattered to deceive – Alastair Cook edged behind on 21 and captain Joe Root fell leg before to Mohammed Shami for 19. Jos Buttler, who made a curiously quick-fire 24 after lunch, was another lbw victim for the willing and wily Shami.