England fast bowler Josh Tongue has acknowledged the impact of Ben Stokes’ absence as England face an uphill battle heading into the final day of the second Test against New Zealand at The Oval.
The hosts are in a difficult position after finishing day four on 182 for 5 in their second innings, still requiring another 281 runs for victory. Earlier in the match, England were bowled out for 291 in reply to New Zealand’s first-innings total of 391, leaving them with a daunting task to avoid defeat.
Speaking after the close of play, Tongue admitted that Stokes’ presence has been sorely missed, both as a player and as a leader.
“Stokesy is an unbelievable player,” Tongue said during the post-match press conference. “Obviously, I made my debut when he was captain, so I’ve got huge respect for Stokesy. It’s always nice seeing him score some runs as well. We’ve missed him, but we’ve got a lot of leaders in our team too.”
Despite Stokes being unavailable, Tongue praised stand-in captain Joe Root for stepping into the role and guiding the side through a challenging Test match.
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“Rooty, stepping in as captain, is obviously an unbelievable player and an unbelievable leader as well. It’s been good,” Tongue added.
The fast bowler also offered an insight into England’s dressing-room culture, explaining how the squad reviews performances at the end of each day.
“We obviously have our little debriefs at the end of each day’s play, and we always go around the lads and try to say as much as we can if we got things wrong during the day, and then obviously praise each other as well,” he said.
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England’s hopes of pulling off a remarkable chase rest heavily on Root, who remains unbeaten on 75. The former captain will resume on the final morning alongside debutant Jordan Cox, who is yet to score and represents the last recognised batter in the lineup.
With 281 runs still required and only five wickets remaining, England face a formidable challenge against a confident New Zealand side that has controlled large periods of the match. However, Root’s presence at the crease offers the hosts a glimmer of hope as they attempt to produce a memorable final-day fightback at The Oval.
New Zealand, meanwhile, will be aiming to finish the job quickly and secure a valuable Test victory, knowing that just five wickets separate them from a dominant series position.
