England all-rounder Ben Stokes pulled up after bowling just two overs on Day 1 of the Hamilton Test against New Zealand, with his left knee giving him trouble once again.
Stokes’ knee had flared up by the end of the second over, and doubts have now emerged about his ability to bowl again during the remainder of the match. He continued to be on the field for the remainder of the day, but did not bowl.
“Ben has some pain in his left knee and will be assessed on whether he can bowl during the rest of this innings,” an England statement read. “He felt some discomfort at the end of his second over earlier today.”
While England have said that Stokes will continue to be assessed for the remainder of the match, they will hope that the presence of other fast bowlers like Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Jofra Archer and Stuart Broad will soften the blow.
“We want Ben Stokes at full tilt if we can, because at his best he’s world-class,” said Chris Woakes at the end of day’s play. “There’s a bit of a gap between the end of this Test match and the start of the South Africa series, so hopefully the medical team can get him as close to 100 per cent as possible.”
This is not the first time the all-rounder’s left knee is giving him trouble, after having undergone surgery on it in 2016 owing to a cartilage tear.
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