Pace bowler Josh Tongue admitted England have missed absent captain Ben Stokes as they head for a heavy defeat in the second Test against New Zealand.
Stokes and pace bowler Gus Atkinson have been made unavailable for the Test at The Oval pending an investigation into an incident in a London nightclub.
But both have been permitted to play county cricket and Stokes struck 95 for Durham against Northamptonshire on Saturday.
It is his highest score in any cricket since the century he made for England in the fourth Test against India last July.
Before the nightclub episode, England head coach Brendon McCullum had backed 35-year-old Stokes to return to form with the bat.
Speaking at the end of the fourth day of the second Test, Tongue said he was unaware of the score Stokes made for Durham.
But when asked about Stokes’ return to form, Tongue replied: “Stokesy is an unbelievable player.
“I made my England debut when he was captain. I’ve got huge respect for Stokesy and it’s always nice seeing him get some runs.”
