San Francisco Frontiers - England sweat on Stokes' bowling fitness in bid for India series win

The England captain delighted his team-mates and a packed Saturday crowd in Manchester by transforming his overnight 77 not out into 141 -- his first Test century in two years -- as the hosts piled up a mammoth 669 for a first-innings lead of 311 runs.

But he notably did not bowl at all in the 63 overs that India batted before the close of Saturday's fourth day at Old Trafford.

His absence was all the more acute given Stokes took an impressive 5-72 in India's first-innings 358.

Instead he restricted himself to directing operations in the field as opener KL Rahul and India captain Shubman Gill rallied the tourists from a dire position of none for two early in their second innings to 174-2 at stumps, still a deficit of 137 runs.

All-rounder Stokes has led from the front against India, following surgery on his left hamstring at the start of this year.

But there were fresh concerns for his fitness on Friday when he briefly retired hurt with cramp in his left leg while batting.

England, already 2-1 up in this five-match series, remain favourites to take an unassailable lead on Sunday's final day at Old Trafford.

But their task would be helped considerably if lively paceman Stokes, the leading bowler on either side this series with 16 wickets at 24.75, could re-enter the fray.

- 'Big workload -

England assistant Marcus Trescothick, asked about the prospect of Stokes bowling on Sunday, said: "We're hoping another night's rest and physio work overnight that he'll be back.

"It's just a build-up (of things). He's had quite a big workload in the last few weeks. It's just trying to monitor it."

Stokes has underlined his worth as a genuine all-rounder in Manchester by becoming only the fourth England cricketer –- after Tony Greig, Ian Botham and Gus Atkinson -– to make a hundred and take five wickets in the same Test.

He is also just the third player after Garry Sobers and Jacques Kallis to score 7,000 runs and take 200 wickets in Tests.

Chris Woakes dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan with successive deliveries in India's first over on Saturday.

But Gill survived the hat-trick ball and was dropped on 46 by Liam Dawson before reaching stumps on 78 not out, with Rahul unbeaten on 87.

India now have fresh hope of clinging on for a draw that would set up a decider at the Oval next week.

Trescothick, however, insisted England could still get the job done in Manchester even without Stokes bowling.

"We've got 10 other guys who are capable of doing special things also," said the former England batsman.

"It's never great when bowlers go down or you don't have someone available to do the work you need them to do, it's then just up to everybody else to pick up the pieces and do the extra work."

T.Martin--SFF