It is both a huge compliment to Stokes and a concern that he offered so much more threat than the rest of his bowling attack, particularly with the old ball.
Stokes has taken six wickets after a ball is 40 overs old in this series. Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue have taken two wickets combined across the same period.
It shows his bowling really is world class.
Archer’s return to Test cricket has been largely encouraging but on Sunday he discovered what it is to be truly Test-match fit.
His feet looked sore, his pace was down to 83mph in his final spell and he did not look as threatening.
It also confirmed he is not the express bowler some people expect him to be.
He can do that role for a spell here or there where he really heats things up, like he did at times in his comeback at Lord’s, but he is not like Mark Wood.
Wood can bowl at 95mph whenever you throw him the ball but, for whatever reason, Archer’s rhythm is not always there.
It is great he is back and that he has been able to play two games is another step on his progression to playing in the Ashes.
Now he just needs a few weeks to put his feet up because if he did not remember what Test cricket feels like, he will now.
