England hammer New Zealand to win series 3-0 after Bairstow smashes 50 in 30 balls as McCallum reign gets off to flyer
BEN STOKES and Brendon McCullum are ripping up the rules of Test cricket and re-writing what was once thought to be impossible.
Three matches, three wins and an attacking approach that is leaving records shattered, bowlers broken and batsmen on the back foot.
It is being called ‘Bazball’ after the nickname of the new coach. But it could just as appropriately be ‘Benblitz’ or ‘Stokesysmash.’
England rampaged to victory in the Third Test and a series clean sweep against the reigning world Test champions from New Zealand.
Jonny Bairstow finished the job with a huge six – of course he did – and was 71 not out from 44 balls, an even faster strike-rate than his hurricane hundred at Trent Bridge. Joe Root was 86 not out from 125 deliveries – what a slowcoach!
England’s run-rate in the three Tests was 4.54, their quickest in history apart from a two-Test series against Bangladesh in 2005 when they lost a total of just seven wickets.
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Bairstow’s half-century yesterday arrived from just 30 deliveries, the second-quickest for England behind a 28-ball effort from Sir Ian Botham in 1981.
Along with spinner Jack Leach, the flame-haired Yorkshireman has been the player to prosper most under the new regime and he ended the series with 394 runs from 328 balls, which would be considered a turbo-charged rate in one-day cricket.
England knocked off the 113 runs they needed in just 15.2 overs. Bairstow and Root took four boundaries off the second over of the day from Trent Boult, one of the world’s best bowlers.
What England have done in less than a month is extraordinary. Don’t forget, they had won just one of their previous 17 Tests and looked stodgy, unimaginative and short of confidence.
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Stokes and McCullum are upbeat characters but even they have been surprised at the speed of the renaissance. Stokes described it as “sensational.”
It sounds easy for a new captain and coach to arrive promising an attacking style of play. But it is much trickier in practice, of course, because cricket teams are full of different personalities and many who fear failure could end their international careers.
But such is the charisma and persuasive powers of the pair that it is looking like a doddle to overturn more than a century of Test cricket convention.
Stokes said: “I knew everyone would buy into the new mentality that me and Brendon set out but I didn’t think it would go this well, to be honest. The way we’ve gone about things with bat and ball has been sensational.
“For Jonny to back up that amazing knock at Trent Bridge with his performances in both innings here was very special. Trent Bridge was amazing but, personally, this hundred was even better because we were 55-6.
“To win the game from that position will give a high level of confidence going forward especially when we find ourselves in difficult situations again.
“I’ve never heard a bloke get 130 of 90 balls a week ago and then ask his coach how he should play. Baz told him to get his Sudoku book and sit down. Shut up, basically! Just do what you did last week. He’s playing like he’s wearing his white-ball coloured clothing.
“The only bollocking I’ve given was at Trent Bridge when I tried to move Jonny in the field but he was too busy signing autographs in the crowd. He actually carries a pencil sharpener in his pocket!”
After rain delayed the start on day five until 1.30, Ollie Pope was bowled in the first over for 82. But Root and especially Bairstow batted with such ferocity that the crowd – who were let in free – were limited to just 65 minutes of action.
Stokes knows there will be times when the ultra-attacking approach backfires. It almost did in the first innings here.
But, right now, everything is flowing smoothly and England have chosen the same players to face India at Edgbaston on Friday in the Test held over after a Covid cancellation last summer.
Sam Billings, brought in as a Covid replacement at Headingley, is retained in case wicketkeeper Ben Foakes does not recover.
Stokes told a story which perhaps best sums up McCullum’s impact. Stuart Broad, who has seen most things, texted Stokes before the start of the summer.
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After checking to make sure no cameras were rolling, Stokes revealed: “Broady and I don’t really speak about cricket when we’re away from the game.
“But he messaged me saying he’d just got off the ‘phone to Baz. And he said, ‘I’m f* buzzing.’”