Ben Stokes named England Captain

[Guppys left peg]

Just now, Packmoor_vale said:

What’s different then as I’m sure I’ve been watching us against New Zealand 

Last years fifth test against India was postponed due to someone testing positive for covid (the IPL also was due to start so read into that what you will). This is basically that match rescheduled to be played now. India right about now wishing they’d just played the match when it first should have been and they’d have cruised it.

[Packmoor_vale]

Cheers lads 👍

[Guppys left peg]

Easy to become blasé to all of this but this is pretty incredible from England. Chasing 378 should not be as easy as England have just made this look. Becoming a really memorable summer this.

Wonder if the effect of this brand of cricket from England will be teams being very reluctant to declare to set a target.

[robf]

What a disappointment. A dominant batting display. An easy and simple win. No fourth innings collapse. This isn't the England I am used to.

In all seriousness - what a win! I thought that they had no chance of knocking that target off, let alone doing it with over a half a day and seven wickets spare. 

Stunning stuff from Root and Bairstow.

[Howjy04]

Staggering.

[Portvalepete]

Would be nice see root and bairstow open the batting in the next test v south Africa.

[valiant_593]

Brilliant that was. Indian fans now blaming the fact they had two different openers😂 thought the batting 2nd innings was as good as it gets. Root has to be our best ever player 

[tommytunstall]

Remarkable transformation, the confidence is sky high. Keep it going 

[For Us All]

Is this becoming another form of white ball cricket?😃

[wurzel valiant]

Root, Bairstow, Lees and Crawley showed that an aggressive approach can work if you take a bit of time to play yourself in and get used to the pace and bounce of the pitch. Stokes must take this on board and stop walking down the wicket to the first ball he receives and trying to wallop it out of the ground. If he follows this example we will be a stronger team as there will come a time when those above him fail and we will need him to play the type of innings we saw today from Root and Bairstow. Once you get on top of the bowling as we witnessed today and 3 times against the Kiwis they wilt under the pressure, runs flow and victory becomes inevitable. Great to watch. Hope we can sustain it. 

[Warren]

52 minutes ago, wurzel valiant said:

Root, Bairstow, Lees and Crawley showed that an aggressive approach can work if you take a bit of time to play yourself in and get used to the pace and bounce of the pitch. Stokes must take this on board and stop walking down the wicket to the first ball he receives and trying to wallop it out of the ground. If he follows this example we will be a stronger team as there will come a time when those above him fail and we will need him to play the type of innings we saw today from Root and Bairstow. Once you get on top of the bowling as we witnessed today and 3 times against the Kiwis they wilt under the pressure, runs flow and victory becomes inevitable. Great to watch. Hope we can sustain it. 

Crawley followed a tried and proven approach in the second innings which we all hope to see in future if he gets chosen again. That is hit the ball with the bat. 

[valiant_593]

Crawley was much better 2nd innings. The big thing for him is to leave the ball alone 4th/5th stump instead of getting drawn into playing early on. He’s decent after the new ball has worn off. If he can leave it like he did in 2nd innings he will be fine, if not he will do what he has done before this innings. 

[Guppys left peg]

4 minutes ago, valiant_593 said:

Crawley was much better 2nd innings. The big thing for him is to leave the ball alone 4th/5th stump instead of getting drawn into playing early on. He’s decent after the new ball has worn off. If he can leave it like he did in 2nd innings he will be fine, if not he will do what he has done before this innings. 

Agreed, I'm not a massive Crawley fan but got no issue with that dismissal. He'd batted really well and was disciplined outside off which was the problem before. To be honest based on the line of the ball it was fair enough to leave it, the bowler just did really to get it to come back like that. That century opening stand was a huge reason that Root and Bairstow were then able to come in and do what they did.

[boslemportvale91]

Bairstow & Root - take a bow gents 👏 

[manc_vale]

This brand of cricket is amazing. Melding some of the best of the limited overs batting with the format of the tests... Its transformed some of our players, in particular Barstow who I have previouslky described as a walking wicket... Happy to eat my words on that one. 

These results, especially this one against India will stir things up with our Aussie friends. If we carry on this aggressive style of cricket the next ashes series is going to kick off big time....

 

My only concern is that we seem a bit too quick to move to plan B, that being bounce them out, when bowling them out isnt working. However, this tactic was what changed the match in Englands favour this time, so perhapos I should shut up!!