Injured Stokes will miss big T20 clash

Ben Stokes will not play in Durham’s big Vitality Blast quarter-final on Friday due to a knee problem.

The all-rounder will miss the home clash with Sussex, but will be available for the fourth Specsavers Test with India.

Stokes was recalled to England’s Test squad just hours after he was cleared of affray and played in the third Test at Trent Bridge, which India won by 203 runs yesterday.

The 27-year-old allrounder will miss Durham Jets’ big night with what the ECB described as a “niggle at the back of his left knee”.

Stokes, though, will be fit for the fourth Test at The Ageas Bowl, Southampton, which begins on August 30.

England had hoped to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series at Trent Bridge, but India’s victory places additional importance on the fourth Test.

Jos Buttler, whose century in England’s second innings on Tuesday was ultimately in vain, and opener Keaton Jennings are available for Lancashire Lightning.

They play Kent Spitfires at Canterbury tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Joe Root has warned England they must learn quickly from their Trent Bridge trouncing if they are to stay in the “driving seat” against India this summer.

England’s captain agreed that the hosts effectively lost the third Test, ultimately by 203 runs, in one session on day two when their “very poor” firstinnings batting saw all 10 wickets fall between lunch and tea.

But he believes the way to turn the 2-1 lead they still have into series victory in Southampton next week lies not just in reflection on where it all went wrong here but also Buttler and Stokes’ exemplary batting in second-innings adversity.

“The partnership between Jos and Ben was a great example and lesson of how to go about things in Test cricket. It’s still a great ‘learner’ for us, to see two guys who are generally very attack-minded adapt to a situation and find a way to build a very strong partnership and put India’s bowlers under pressure.”