Keegan Petersen Manchester South Africa cricket win Keegan Petersen Manchester South Africa

Ben Stokes lauds England for setting the benchmark with innings win in Manchester

thenationalnews.com

England captain Ben Stokes said his team had set a "benchmark" after overpowering South Africa by an innings and 85 runs in the second Test at Old Trafford on Saturday to level the series.

Victory, with more than two days to spare, brought England back into the three-match series following South Africa's equally dominant innings and 12-run triumph at Lord's last week.

England have won five of their six matches since Stokes succeeded Joe Root as skipper but this one was built on the traditional style of red-ball cricket rather than the Three Lions' new brand of attacking game.

Stokes's men were on top from the start in Manchester, reducing South Africa to 77-5 before lunch on the first day after Proteas skipper Dean Elgar.

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