Amazing stuff really. Stokes did a Sky interview around the time he was appointed. Ward, I think, made what sounded like a reasonable point in suggesting that after one win in seventeen, making the team harder to beat could be a priority. Stokes had a bit of a laugh and replied something like " What , trying to draw games? Nah mate, that won't be happening with my team" Interview went on canny. But that was super big talk at the time, and he is backing it up, and the team are baking him up. They would clearly do anything for him, and he wouldn't ask anyone to do something he wouldn't do himself , most of the reason he is ultra attacking when batting, something I think he will recalibrate a little ( only a little!) when he's sure the message has got home Great to see. People will queue to see this team play, and other teams will follow this lead. There have been other excellent attacking test teams before, but this bristling, constant, belligerent intent is new. And it has done for two very good sides who just couldn't handle the intensity. Well done lads. A real quick bowler short of a very serious test team. Who would want to bowl at that lot?
Just read a great quote... It turns out everyone has been playing test match cricket wrong for the last 150 years...who knew!
What? You mean play poorly for 3½ days, lull them into a false sense of security, then.... KABLAAAAMO!!!!!!
I reckon other countries will follow our blueprint now. 4 consecutive big run chases including our highest ever...against good bowling attacks is some achievement.
I can see this having the same effect as the 2005 Ashes (or was it 2004?) and getting kids into the game again
Its been a big change - I'm still waiting to see how this new attacking mindset goes when they go abroad - its one thing to do it at home in your own conditions - another entirely in say Australia - i think as youve said we will recalibrate a bit. Long may it continue though - the change in someone like Bairstow has been impressive. Also big shout to Joe Root who has been imperious so far this summer. He looks like a massive weight has been lifted and he can now concentrate on having a go at beating Sachins run record - he'll definately beat Cooks record to become Englands all time test run scorer.
only needs just over 2K to fo that. He loves a target to aim at does Joe Such a great player and love his attitude
Yep. Mind, Joe has been scoring very heavily for a year and a half now. He's mind boggling, constantly looking to learn and improve. England very lucky to have him, Bairstow and Stokes in the team together.
I see that Paul Collinwood is still only the 'Interim Head Coach'. Wonder what more he needs to do in order to get the job?
If anybody cares to go back to near the beginning of this thread you will see that I wisely commented that Bairstow was perhaps lucky to retain his place and that Harry Brook should be given a go instead. At that point nobody had heard of BazBall which obviously plays to Bairstow's natural strengths and we've all seen the results. Having established my credentials as a hopeless selector I hesitate to opine that a shackles off Jos Buttler behind the stumps coming in at 7 and Mo Ali (who has said that he may be tempted out of retirement) coming in at 8 in place of Leach would at the very least be fun to watch and must be in the minds of McCullum and Co
As much as I'm loving the rebirth of English Test Match cricket,and it's been just fabulous to watch,I think we have to be a bit careful. As someone earlier on said, is this new approach going to work when we go abroad. I'm of the view that it's sometimes still going to be necessary to hunker down and grind out an innings if conditions prevail,and we need to make sure we don't fill the side with players who have,hithertoo,shown themselves incapable of doing that. If we try too often to turn a Test Match into an elongated white ball match,we may soon come unstuck. I don't want to put a damper on it,because I'm loving it,can't wait for the South Africans,but I hope we impose a sensible balance. I suppose the challenge will be when we hook and reverse sweep our way into being dismissed for less than 120 at the Gabba! Baz and Ben have got to make sure the mindset is right.
Its strange that it's been labelled as 'white ball cricket' when the matches have all gone into the 5th day. You would think that they were over in 2/3 days. Excellent stuff. Long live the tests.
