Three and a half weeks is a long time in cricket apparently. At the start of June England were at rock bottom, they had managed just two wins in their previous five Test series – a miserable run of 18 games stretching back to February 2021 – not many gave them much hope against the reigning World Test Championship holders New Zealand.
And yet here we all are, England 3-0 winners in a pulsating trio of Tests that not only upended the form book but at points made one question the entire fabric of Test cricket as we know it. New Zealand depart the country well and truly Bazwashed.
Eyes around the world have no doubt been rolling at every mention of ‘Bazball’ in recent weeks and yet in this series England performed time and time again – confusing fans and pundits alike by actually delivering on the sort of hyperbolic pre-match promises that have been broken so routinely in recent years that it has begun to approach levels of black comedy.
England’s new strategy has essentially been employing a cool boy, from a few years above at school, as their head coach and then powering the side with the energy of a team all showing off to try and impress him. It has been remarkably successful.
Perhaps the only real casualty of all this was Jack Leach, his tragicomic concussion at Lord’s occurring after getting a little too fired up watching Youtube compilations of his new coach Brendon McCullum’s athletic boundary fielding, but even he was back in the side by the next Test and finished the series seemingly a man reborn, with a ten-wicket haul and a Player of the Match award under his belt.
Leach indeed has encapsulated much of what this burgeoning new Ben Stokes-McCullum era is all about, instilled with a sense of trust and belief from captain and coach, he thrived in this Headingley Test, his twin five-wicket hauls the cornerstone on which this third successive remarkable victory was built.
Nobody however has illustrated the sharp turnaround in England’s fortunes quite like Jonny Bairstow. He came into the series with some questioning his place in the side, he finishes it having made 394 runs at an absurd strike rate of 120.12, including back-to-back centuries both of which most players would struggle to match the quality of over the course of their entire careers.
Bairstow faced 54.4 overs worth of bowling over the course of the series and was 394/5 – he basically did a passable impression of an excellent ODI team all by himself.
If Bairstow’s transformation was the most eye-catching embodiment of England’s new found groove, there were more subtle signs of encouragement elsewhere – from Joe Root’s seamless transition back into the ranks after his captaincy reign ended, with a few devilish ramp shots thrown in for good measure, to hints that Ollie Pope might just be beginning to crack Test cricket, and the impressive start to the international game made by Matt Potts.
Next though come India roaring over the horizon, a month ago no doubt fancying their chances against the same meek rabble they outclassed for much of last summer, now perhaps not quite so sure. Can England sustain this incredible run? Fortunately, we don’t have to wait long to find out and whatever the answer the results look sure to be entertaining.
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