The beauty and the will

The Beauty and the Will

Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer, the dynamic duo, led England to a thrilling 22-run victory on the final day of the pulsating Test match at Lord's. The fifth day was a spectacle, with the famous old venue heaving with a mix of spontaneous and orchestrated enthusiasm.

Stokes and Archer were the showmen, delivering a masterclass in pace and skill. Archer's pace to burn and Stokes' lung-bursting efforts left India reeling. The game was delicately poised, with England scraping home by 22 runs.

Stokes described Archer's ball to Rishabh Pant as "an absolute beauty." Archer's magic was on display in the first hour, producing a terrific return catch to send back Washington Sundar. Stokes, meanwhile, kept bounding in, accounting for India's most technically assured batter, KL Rahul.

The choice of opening bowlers was a gut call, with Stokes and Archer delivering the goods. Stokes willed himself onto bowl an even longer spell in the afternoon, eventually accounting for Jasprit Bumrah.

In the end, Stokes was nearly dragging his feet to his fielding spots, his shirt clinging to his back. He had emptied the tank, but was still driving England's final push through sheer will. As he sat down later, he was "knackered" enough to not be able to contextualize where this victory sat among the best he'd experienced.