England’s go-to guy Stokes’ day to forget

England has stuffed up the toss. Stuffed up the team sheet. Stuffed up with the bat. Stuffed up in the field.

Ben Stokes reacts after beat pounded by Marnus Labuschange at the ’Gabba. Picture: Getty Images.

England has stuffed up the toss. Stuffed up the team sheet. Stuffed up with the bat. Stuffed up in the field. The heart and soul of the touring party is Ben Stokes but courtesy of inexplicable officiating and wretched luck, he’s looking flatter and less threatening than Jack Leach’s arm ball.

Stokes versus Dave Warner told a tale on day two at the Gabba. Their body language, their contributions to a scoreboard leaning Australia’s way. Stokes tried his guts out and attempted to put his best foot forward but ruinously for England, as the third eye revealed, it was too far forward.

Quick story about Warner and video replays. He was at the Delhi Daredevils for the first IPL season. Franchise bosses suspected he was ducking out of the team hotel for cleansing ales at the pub each night. They put a CCTV camera outside his door to monitor his movements. Just to keep an eye on where his feet were landing.

Warner was doing nothing wrong. He’s just a bloke who likes to ride his luck, chance his hand. When he faced Stokes’ opening over on Thursday, he was confronted by a like-minded risk-taker. Another powerhouse cricketer who could take the Test by the scruff of the neck. Another fellow with a history of off-field CCTV footage, but we won’t get into that here.

Stokes started with a no-ball. Neither the on-field umpire nor the third umpire called it. His next ball was a no-ball. Nobody called it. His third ball was another no-ball. Again, nobody called it. His fourth ball squeezed through Warner’s defences, disturbed the stumps. Warner nodded at the bowler in a dignified prelude to departure. But then Hawk-Eye, the sporting equivalent of CCTV footage, took a look at where Stokes’ feet were landing.

Big Ben was guilty of a big no-no. He suffered from extraordinarily poor officiating, of course.

He kept bowling no-balls because he had no idea he was bowling no-balls. If Stokes had been called for overstepping, he would have adjusted.

Australia’s ex-Test captain Ricky Ponting ripped into the flawed work of officials.

“If it’s someone upstairs who’s supposed to be checking these, and they haven’t decided that any of these are a no-ball, that’s pathetic officiating,” Ponting said in commentary. “If he’d been called for a no-ball there, of course he’s going to drag his foot back. It’s obvious that the third umpire’s not looking, either. They’re only going back and checking when a wicket falls.”

Former international umpire Simon Taufel confirmed the third umpire was meant to be telling the on-field umpires when no-balls were bowled. “They’ve got to check every front foot no-ball, they’ve got to count every ball, they’ve got to count all the delays and stoppages,” Taufel said. “They do have an ICC technician in that third umpire’s box, and with that technician they’re supposed to be looking at every ball.”

Warner entered the first Ashes Test in great physical nick. His man-of-the-series performance at the T20 World Cup ensured the attack dog of Australian cricket would have his fangs out. You knew he’d be worth keeping an eye on against Stokes, who was a more worrisome proposition. Mental health and injury issues meant this was his first match in four months.

Stokes bowled 14 no-balls in the opening session – but only two of them were called. And then he hurt his left leg in the field, unsighted at the bowling crease throughout the second session. England’s most powerful player became a passenger to add to the tourists’ woes from the toss, selections, batting and fielding. Stokes had a trundle in the final session.

The run-up was shortened; his action was compromised. It was brave and sad. When Travis Head smacked him for three boundaries, Stokes’ demeanour was even more dispirited than before.

Warner made 94. Stokes finished with 0-50. Head, bowed.

“One thing that was very noticeable … was Ben Stokes’ body language,” Ponting said. “He looked really flat and they need him, he’s the heartbeat of their team. Whenever they’re in trouble, he’s their go-to guy. For England’s chances going forward in this game they’ve got to find a way to lift him up.”