🔗 Share this article

England's captain Ben Stokes is said to be "exhausted" but still "fit and ready" to deliver overs, according to team coach Jeetan Patel, despite he abstained from bowling on the third day of a pivotal Ashes Test.

Stokes utilized five other bowlers as Australia moved to 271-4 in their follow-on, building a substantial advantage of 356 runs at the Adelaide Oval.

The dynamic player had earlier battled for more than five hours at the wicket over two days to score 83 runs in England's first innings.

A Demanding Knock

During his extended 198-ball stay, the veteran cricketer was hit on the helmet by a fast bowler and suffered bouts of cramp. He also required time off the field on Friday after hitting his head on the turf while attempting a stop.

"He might be a little fatigued and just require some time to himself right now," commented Patel.

"From what I understand, he's quite ready to bowl. I think he's just pretty knackered and he's taken a lot out of himself to reach this point in the match."

Injury History Scrutiny

Given his chequered injury past – Stokes has not been fully available in any of England's last four series – any suggestion the Durham man might be nursing an issue attracts significant attention.

Eager to be in the heat of battle, Stokes' decision not to bowl on Friday was curious given it was England's final opportunity to stay in the Ashes series.

At 2-0 down and needing to win in Adelaide to keep their hopes of regaining the urn intact, England had conceded a first-innings deficit of 85 runs.

"My understanding is he goes at 100%," said Patel. "If he thinks he can't do it at 100%, I don't think he's going to do it. That's likely where he's at."

The tourists could have remained in the contest by bowling out Australia for around 240 in their second innings and had slim hopes at certain scorelines, only for the home team to accelerate away through Travis Head's unbeaten 142.

Even though England delivered 66 overs, Stokes did not use himself.

"He didn't bowl but that's probably a different discussion with him," noted former New Zealand international Patel.

"I don't actually know. We all know he doesn't do anything at 80%. Maybe he thought he was a liability, so he didn't bowl."

Past Instances and Current Strain

The last time Stokes limited his bowling was on the final day of the tied fourth Test against India at Old Trafford in July.

He afterwards missed the fifth Test at The Oval with a shoulder injury.

Stokes has a reputation of driving himself to its absolute limit, and it was put to Patel that the captain felt he might have risked injury if he exerted himself any further in Adelaide.

On the Brink of Defeat

England stand on the edge of yet another defeat in Australia, once again likely to be beaten inside the first three Tests of the series.

If the tourists' loss is completed on Saturday's fourth day, it would mean the outcome of the Ashes has been determined in 10 days – the first and second Tests were over in short periods respectively.

Not since 1921, when Australia needed only eight days of play to win in England, has the winner of an Ashes series been decided this quickly.

A Daunting Task Ahead

If a first goal is to extend this match into a fifth day, England will also have to pull off the highest successful chase at the Adelaide Oval to keep the series alive.

"I still believe there's an chance for us," said Patel. "It won't be easy, we're going to need something magical. I think it's about time we saw something special from us."

"Three games in, we've landed some blows but taken a lot. It's time, now we're with our backs to the wall, to throw some haymakers."