Ben Stokes put a stop to the madness of his happy hookers to place himself and his team on the rails, ready to ease by Australia on day three.
A trio of adventurous hoicks cost England dearly, as Australia invoked the spirit of Douglas Jardine and ‘bodyline’ with a bevy of short-pitched bowling and fielders on the fence to try and break Bazball with bouncers. But with his team in danger of losing the plot completely, Stokes steadied the ship with an innings of patient concentration alongside the impetuous Harry Brook to close day two at 278-4, 138 runs behind the Aussie first innings tally of 416.
With 17 not out from 57 balls, Stokes showed exactly how defending and leaving the ball can be the positive option. He even wore a bouncer on his upper arm rather than risk another catch. Just like he did at Headingley in 2019 before his magnum opus, he made sure he would be around the following day to have the chance of doing something special.
