Ben Stokes' longest hour, Kemar Roach's hoodoo and Shannon Gabriel's unwavering commitment... ENGLAND V WEST INDIES TALKING POINTS

NICK FRIEND looks back on the second day of the second Test at Emirates Old Trafford as England put together a fine total led by Dom Sibley and Ben Stokes, before taking a single West Indian wicket before the close

Stokes' longest stay

Amid Dom Sibley’s titanic effort on the first day’s play at Emirates Old Trafford, it was easy to overlook Ben Stokes. That, in itself, has not been often said in recent times.

England’s cricketer of 2019 is in danger of becoming their cricketer for 2020 as well: the match-winning spell at Cape Town, the century at Port Elizabeth, captain for the first time at the Ageas Bowl. And now this.

In some respects, an innings altogether less swashbuckling than the superhuman feats of the last 12 months, but also a nod to a man whose all-round talents have developed beyond comprehension into England’s fulcrum. Here, Nasser Hussain repeatedly referred to him as “England’s best batsman” – in a better position with his game currently than Joe Root, he suggested.

This knock had more than a tinge of Headingley about it, only without the drama: slow to begin with as he sought to rebuild from a position of weakness, patient when that was the order of the day, explosive when the moment came to ignite.

He never had Jack Leach here, but Sibley instead. And while the Warwickshire opening batsman – still learning his trade at international level – went about his business without frill or bother, Stokes’ job was to remain at the other end, safe in the knowledge of the carnage he might cause later on. Their collective staying power was enough to tire the bodies of Alzarri Joseph and Shannon Gabriel, both struggling physically having given so much to this whistle-stop series so far.

Stokes had looked in tremendous order at Southampton in the first Test, but was guilty twice of throwing away his wicket; it was evident then that he felt so in control that he attempted too much too soon. It almost looked too easy, too nonchalant; by walking across his stumps and attempting to fiddle the ball through the legside, he was undone by Jason Holder.

Here, however tempting that thought may have been, he maintained a more stubborn, pragmatic stoicism for longer – and with tremendous reward. Indeed, only once before – when he wrought havoc in Cape Town back in 2016 for 258 – has he passed the 176 he made here. That 258 required 158 fewer deliveries than this vigil.

^{Ben Stokes was imperious in making 176}

This, perhaps, represented a blueprint for his way forward. Not every innings will be quite as pedestrian to begin with – this was his slowest century by a considerable distance, only the fourth time he had ever faced more than 200 deliveries in an innings, his 260-run partnership with Sibley the most eye-watering juxtaposition of styles. According to CricViz, no England player has left more deliveries in an innings than Stokes here since such data has been recorded.

But the ends more than justified the means; by the time Sibley fell, attempting for the first time to really hit over the top, Stokes’ gears had shifted – not drastically, but he had displayed intermittent signs of his intent. One particular check-punch over mid-on for six oozed total class in its effortless ease.

The end of an unwarranted hoodoo

At long last, reward for Kemar Roach. And then another. Just like that. London buses, if you will.

The West Indies seamer, who has bowled far better than his record in this series would dare suggest, went 521 deliveries without taking a Test wicket – an unwanted, unwarranted record that began in Kingston 11 months ago.

When Roach dismissed KL Rahul and Virat Kohli in successive deliveries back then, he would have scoffed at the thought of having to wait almost a year for his next Test scalp.

His figures in that intervening time? 86.5-24-204-0

Kohli his 193rd wicket, Stokes his 194th – an attempted reverse-sweep that ended up in the hands of Shane Dowrich. Two wickets separated by 320 days.

Chris Woakes followed to Roach’s next ball – and the world was normal once more. He is now five from the 200-mark.

^{Kemar Roach's long wait for a Test wicket finally ended; after dismissing Ben Stokes, he had Chris Woakes caught first ball}

No matter how tired, Gabriel's ticker never wavered

Fair play to Shannon Gabriel. Only six times in a 47-Test career has he got through more overs in a single innings. Rarely, can he have got through as much work in so little time: 36.5 overs at full tilt inside nine days. He has only bowled more in a single game on seven occasions than he did in Southampton.

Never the subtlest of operators – built like a heavyweight with a bustling, unapologetic run-up, he didn’t once give in, even after spending time off the field on both of the last two days nursing niggles.

Michael Holding made the point on commentary – that however cumbersome he might look, however shattered he might be in body and mind, his fight never wavered.

His first spell of the match was chaotic, rusty, a sign of things to come perhaps – without either the control or venom that he found at the Ageas Bowl, but he kept on coming.

He got quicker and his average speed has not once in the match dipped beneath 80mph: 83.3, 86.5, 84.4, 85.4, 82.4, 86.6.

When he missed the chance to run out Stuart Broad and finally leave the field after 159 long overs, his face was a picture. And yet, an absolute trier, he never stopped.

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