Team Stokes vs Team Buttler: Batsmen dominate on final day
The intra-team warm-up match between Team Stokes and Team Buttler came to an end on Friday after both teams batted on the final day. All the batsmen who are crucial to the side's upcoming series had a good stay at the crease and played meticulously, which will add to the selectors' headache.
Resuming 54 ahead of Stokes' side, Team Buttler's opening pair of Rory Burns and James Bracey put on solid opening partnership of 61 in the first session. Bracey, whose day-one 85 proved the top score of the match, was back in the hut first for 22, as he top-edged Stokes to fine leg, before Jack Leach trapped Joe Denly clean in front for a just a run.
The wicket must have come as a huge relief for Leach as he looked out of rhythm and could not pick wickets on the first day. However, Leach ended up being the pick of the bowlers as he took a 3-fer.
Moeen Ali, too, bowled loosely and was smashed all around the park but managed to get Burns' and skipper Jos Buttler's wickets, when both were batting on 35. Ollie Pope top-scored for Team Buttler with an unbeaten 66-ball 55 runs while Chris Woakes scored a quick-fire 32-ball 37.
After the departure of Woakes and Dan Lawrence, who could score only 6 runs before being bamboozled by Leach, Buttler decided to declare Team Buttler's innings with the scorecard reading 200/6.
For Team Stokes, Jonny Bairstow was invited to open alongside Dom Sibley, possibly an indication of his inclusion in the 22-man squad to be chosen by the selectors, and he did not disappoint.
Bairstow and Sibley put on a partnership of 70 runs for the first wicket with both of them scoring just under 40 runs before getting out to some brilliant bowling by leg-spinner Matthew Parkinson. Crawley once again provided stability to the innings as he scored a rather quick 43-ball 34.
Skipper Ben Stokes came in at 4 and hammered the bowlers all round the park as he played a T20-esque innings consisting of three maximums and two boundaries. Stokes remained unbeaten on 33, which he scored in just 17 deliveries. Moeen was sent in after the wicket of Crawley but Bess got the better of him, trapping him right in front of the stumps. Team Stokes were 97 runs away from victory when Moeen's wicket fell, but before Jack Leach could come to the crease to support Stokes again, the umpires ended Day 3's play with 19 overs still left to be bowled.
As for Team Buttler, Stuart Broad went wicketless once again adding to his woes. Matthew Parkinson picked up two wickets for Team Buttler and was supported by Wood and Bess, who got a wicket each. Archer bowled just 3 overs while Woakes bowled 4, both of them failing to pick up a wicket for Team Buttler.
The biggest positive of the day, however, was the return of Sam Curran after testing negative for COVID-19.
Brief Scores:
Team Buttler: 287-5 dec and 200-6 dec (Pope 55, Woakes 37; Leach 3-82, Moeen 2-38)
drew with Team Stokes: 233 and 157-4 ( Barstow 39, Sibley 38; Parkinson 2-47, Bess 1-12)