Adelaide: Ben Stokes knew what Mitchell Starc was doing. And Starc knew what Stokes was doing.

Without getting too deep into it, they both knew the other knew, as well.

Set aside, just for a moment, the 198 balls Stokes had painstakingly Baz-walled his way through, desperately trying to keep England and the Ashes alive. Leave aside the cramp, dehydration, sunburn and increasing exasperation of day two of the third Test.

Stokes knew exactly what Starc was doing with yet another in-ducking delivery destined for his stumps. This is why the English skipper was bellowing like a banshee in the middle of Adelaide Oval.

Quite literally hopping mad with himself, ruefully tossing his bat and swearing for most of the 66-metre trudge to the boundary.

It’s so easy, and so right, to admire Stokes for his wholehearted refusal to yield because it’s so obvious. He wears his emotions so openly.

For the 12th time in Tests, more than any other fast bowler, Starc reduced the English skipper to frustration and a moment of failure.

The left-armer’s latest wobbling delivery at proper pace was the sixth time Starc has clean-bowled Stokes in Tests, and the second time this........

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