While most Australian cricket fans slept, a seismic shift occurred in the world cricket order. "BazBall" arrived in the UK, and in the space of 5 short weeks has transformed not only the England Test Team, but in all likely hood, test cricket. A much needed revolution has taken place.
After being demoralised in Australia last summer, where they were derided as a "Laughing Stock" (News 27122021) England parlayed this "Year to Forget" (Crictracker 29122021) into a one nil loss in the Caribbean. Whatever! Everyone bar actual England fans probably had a laugh and were happy to know that in the race to the bottom of the traditional test nations, the 3 lions had a bigger millstone around the neck than the Windies. A very slow news period followed after that series culminating in Robert Key being named managing Director of the ECB. This was at the time, beyond underwhelming and seemed to assure most people, including myself, that England where setting the bar for appointments at record lows. How wrong I was.
In five weeks of test cricket, Keys "key" appointments of Brendon McCullum as coach and Ben Stokes as captain have seen a magical transformation in the England team.
They started by dismantling the current world champion New Zealand team with a 3-0 whitewash and then, in seemingly impossible fashion, they took a vaunted Indian Test team to the back of the woodshed and gave them a beating for the ages.
In every test they have claimed 20 wickets and chased more than 250 in the fourth inning to win. In each game they have faced adversity. At Headingley they were 6 down for 91 in the evening session and closed at 264 for no further loss. Chasing 329, they never stopped counter attacking until they eventually won by 7 wickets. Against India last night they chased 378 in the 4th innings and never broke a sweat. Once again they won by 7 wickets and the belligerents were Root and Bairstow. One, a perennial prince and the other a career long sidepiece. Now, in combination with Ben Stokes they make one of the most imposing middle orders seen for many years in Test cricket.
While the players will receive the lions share of the credit, and rightly so, the Coach and Captain deserve special mention. Coaching matters, and and if you don't believe a cricket side needs a coach, go and watch the directionless lump under the previous management. McCullum, has concentrated from the start on simple and concise messages. He has backed his players, and they are paying him back. England, are already a leading team in both short forms of the game. Playing with this freedom, and leaning into the attacking prowess at hand, they can become the best team in test cricket. Of course, these statements are massive reaches, and perhaps make me a prisoner of the moment, but as with most affairs of the heart they are all consuming and intoxicating to the beholdent. Viva the revolution! Viva BazBall!
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