sport news England are now entertainers as much as cricketers - thanks to 'Bazball' trends now

sport news England are now entertainers as much as cricketers - thanks to 'Bazball' trends now
sport news England are now entertainers as much as cricketers - thanks to 'Bazball' trends now

sport news England are now entertainers as much as cricketers - thanks to 'Bazball' trends now

Of all the statements made by Brendon McCullum after becoming Test coach, one stood out as especially improbable.

He wanted, he said, to get England playing a brand of cricket that would reconnect with the public. Since they had won one of their previous 17 Tests, it seemed his sunny optimism and boundless positivity had finally met their match.

Yesterday morning, as England added 96 to their overnight 264 for six, the swift progress confirmed what Lord’s and Trent Bridge had told us. McCullum’s mantras are no tea-towel homilies: they mean business. And if you can’t go towards the fear, he may not be the coach for you.

Brandon McCullum has revitalised England's Test side after just three matches in charge

Brandon McCullum has revitalised England's Test side after just three matches in charge

Ben Stokes and McCullum have completely changed England's approach to the game

Ben Stokes and McCullum have completely changed England's approach to the game

Under Chris Silverwood and Joe Root, England aimed to score big-first innings runs, then take 20 wickets — a formula so obvious it barely required stating. By the end, as their team fell short on both counts, it sounded poignantly delusional.

Under McCullum and Ben Stokes, the emphasis has been less about the scoreboard than the vibes — the idea being that the scoreboard then takes care of itself.

England’s run-rate in this series is 4.40 an over, which used to be considered a decent lick in one-day cricket. Only once, at home against a weak Bangladesh side in 2005, have they scored more quickly across a Test series. And on only one other occasion — against West Indies in 2007 — have they managed more than four an over.

Almost overnight, the mood has changed, from crestfallen to cavalier. Encouraged to consider themselves entertainers as much as cricketers, England’s batsmen have dared their supporters to ignore them. It has not been easy.

At Lord’s, they knocked off 277. At Trent Bridge, it was 299 in 50 overs. At Headingley, thanks to Jonny Bairstow and Jamie Overton, the base metal of 55 for six became the gold of 360.

Since McCullum took over, England score faster than any other side in world cricket

Since McCullum took over, England score faster than any other side in world cricket 

Stokes has hit 10 sixes, and Bairstow seven. And if Bairstow had already scored Test centuries this year in Sydney and Antigua, they came at strike-rates of 71 and 54. His hundreds in Nottingham and Leeds have come at 147 and 103.

Stokes may be the embodiment of McCullum’s plan, waltzing down the wicket on Friday to lift his third ball from Tim Southee into the Howard Stand.

But Bairstow has been its greatest beneficiary, a player persuaded that — even though he turns 33 in September — his best years lie ahead.

On the third morning of this engrossing Test, it was clear that others had benefitted too.

After

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