MANCHESTER: Chris Woakes said it was no surprise to see fellow all-rounder Ben Stokes drag England back into the first Test against Pakistan at Old Trafford on Friday as “we know he is capable of miracles”. Stokes who didn’t bowl in the third Test against the West Indies at Old Trafford last month because of a quad injury, took 2-11 in 21 balls late on the third day as Pakistan reached stumps on 137-8 in their second innings — a lead of 244 runs.

England, outplayed for most of this match, now have a shot at claiming an unlikely victory after Stokes had Mohammad Rizwan lbw with just his eighth ball of the match before he bounced out tailender Shaheen Afridi.

Last year, Stokes starred with the ball before his stunning unbeaten century saw England to an outrageous one-wicket in the third Test against Australia at Headingley. And Woakes, who also took 2-11 on Friday, said there was every chance the England vice-captain could repeat his Ashes heroics in Manchester.

“I’m not overly surprised that he could do what he did,” Woakes told reporters. “That’s Ben Stokes, we know he is capable of miracles. “He’s got a bit of a golden arm, he always has had. He has the knack of picking up wickets. “When you are in a bit of dog fight, he’s the sort of player you want in your team. He always puts his hand up and gives 110 percent.” Pakistan will now hope leg-spinner Yasir Shah, who took 4-66 in England’s first-innings 219, can boost their total when he resumes on his overnight 12 not out.

The tourists are still relatively well-placed. Only twice has a team chased more than 200 to win in the fourth innings of a Test at Old Trafford, with England making 294-4 against New Zealand in 2008 and 231-3 against the West Indies at the Manchester ground in 2004. England are trying to end a run of losing the first Test in each of their last five series.

And they will need to bat well on a wearing pitch where Yasir took three for four in 27 balls on Friday to leave England over a hundred runs behind Pakistan’s first-innings 326. “We are very confident, the lead is 244 at the moment,” said Pakistan spin-bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed.  “If we can get another 20 to 30 runs that will be a very good score on that pitch.”  — AFP