Cook, Stokes lead Eng
Ben Stokes scored the fastest-ever Test hundred at Lord's, while England captain Alastair Cook weighed in with a less spectacular but equally valuable century of his own as the hosts fought back against New Zealand on Sunday. England were 429 for six in their second innings at stumps on the fourth day, a lead of 295 runs, despite having been outplayed for much of this match, the first of a two-Test series.
Cook was 153 not out -- his fourth and highest Test century at Lord's -- after Stokes had struck a truly thrilling hundred against the country of his birth in just 85 balls, including 15 fours and three sixes.
England were in trouble when they lost Ian Bell, caught behind off a Tim Southee outswinger, to Sunday's third ball without adding to their overnight score to be 74 for three.
But Cook, whose century saw him extend his England Test record to 27, shared partnerships of 158 and 132 with Joe Root (84) and Stokes (101) respectively.
Root, out for 98 in the first innings, again missed out on a century but Stokes followed his first-innings 92 with his second Test century but first in England following the Durham all-rounder's 120 against Australia in Perth in 2013.
Earlier, left-handed opener Cook scored his second hundred in as many Tests after he ended a near two-year-wait for a Test ton with 105 against the West Indies in Barbados earlier this month.
It was also his first ton on home soil since his 130 against New Zealand at Headingley in 2013 and saw the 30-year-old Cook extend his England record for Test centuries to 27.
However, Stokes, the Christchurch-born but England-raised son of former Kiwi rugby league international Ged Stokes, responded with two hooked sixes off successive Southee deliveries.
In Stokes's stand of 132 with Cook the skipper's share was just 21, but the opener was still unbeaten at stumps after more than eight-and-a-half hours at the crease.
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