It doesn’t get any better than that. A sensational victory for England in front of a crowded audience at Trent Bridge, which received an incredible value for money that they didn’t even have to spend.
What a pleasure it was for these supporters to be admitted for free. What a performance they saw from Johnny Bearstow with one of the fastest and most dazzling tests of all time.
Heddingley’s miracle? It was even more amazing in so many ways because it came, along with last week’s victory at Lord’s, so quickly after a series of victories in 17 tests that brought England to its knees.
Johnny Bearstow drove England to victory with one of the greatest test of all time
Bairstow smashed New Zealand everywhere while turning the test in England’s favor
Burstow and Stokes helped England make 160 runs from just 16 overs after Trent Bridge tea
Bearstow fell 132 out of 92 and was greeted by Ben Stokes when he left the field
At the center of this, just as in Leeds against Australia in 2019, was a new captain at Ben Stokes, who joined Brendan McCallum in the transformation, in just two games, of the English team, devoid of any faith and sinking to the bottom of World Test Championship.
There was self-confidence and confidence here, especially when England lost their fourth goal by 93, chasing 299 with 72 overs to win and the odds shifted to a New Zealand equalizing win streak or the slightest draw.
Not a bit of him. The Stokes have joined Beirstow, under pressure for a place again from the man coming to Harry Brook, and simply storming England to victory with dizzying jokes that can rarely be seen in a test match.
This second LV = Insurance Test was very much in balance before the final session of glorious and brilliant five days, with England still needing 160 of 38 overs for their second win in a row and their first win in a series in 18 months.
It seemed like a daunting task at best, but whatever was said or eaten over tea was clearly galvanizing with Bearstow as he created the innings of his life and was on the verge of breaking a 120-year record.
Bairstow simply destroyed what remained a great attack in New Zealand, despite Kyle Jamieson’s loss from injury, 102 runs coming from the first nine overs after tea and the Yorkshireman smashed 93 of 44 deliveries after tea as the six flew left to right and center in Trent Bridge Stands.
It seemed certain that Beirstow would reach his ninth test century faster than Gilbert Jessup’s record of 76 balls in England in 1902 without a single six, but he defended two balls before directing Tim Southey three through the covers. on his 77th delivery.
Stokes played through the pain barrier after injuring his left knee in a blow against Trent Bridge
That didn’t stop Captain Stokes too much – he played a few super shots to help his team win
It is appropriate that the injured Captain Stokes was the one who hit the runs that sealed the triumph of England.
Burstow rushed to England’s locker room, jumping and pounding in the air before looking up at the sky, as he always does to remember his late father, David. “He was enjoying this Johnny,” Mark Butcher told Sky in a perfect comment. “We all did it.”
Then came a reminder from his captain that the work was not yet done, but it was soon, although Bairstow fell, for 136 of 92 balls, with 27 still needed and New Zealand almost reached the vulnerable tail of England.
Ben Fox joined the Stokes as the win came with 22 overs, although there were minor fears of the Stokes, which were almost exhausted by the required 21, and then Fox was missed by Michael Bracewell, the 12th dropout of the test, with needed 14. God, it was so convenient, so amazing, that England could pursue 400.
Appropriate was Stokes, who seemed hampered by a long-standing left knee problem that would never stop him, who hit the winning runs, smashing Boult to the edge of the cover and raising his hands after finishing undefeated at 75 with just 70 balls.
The new captain had reached half a century with one of his four sixes and had kept the perfect attacking pace and composure all the time in the fold, but that last day belonged to Bearstow.
When Bairstow made two low scores in Lord’s shots, as if he were still in the IPL rather than Test, there were many who questioned his place in the country, although he made two centuries in the last winter of discontent in England.
Alex Lees played well for 44, but then became Tim Southee’s first goal of the match
Joe Route misses Trent Boult’s delivery and the New Zealander quickly catches a good return catch
Stokes was not among them to praise Bairstow both after the victory in Lord’s and before this match, supporting his player, as England will obviously always do in what has already become an exciting and very promising new era. How Bearstow paid off here, still playing those white-ball shots, but doing them brilliantly and excitingly.
New Zealand does not know what hit them. They had made England’s task even more difficult when Daryl Mitchell and Trent Boult added 35 for the last goal with just 32 balls, with Boult making 17 of them and causing Stokes to regret the delay in taking the second new ball.
When it was finally in the hands of Jimmy Anderson and Boult surrendered to the Stokes, England needed less than 300 and had to make the highest winning result in the history of the Trent Bridge Test.
But they said they would chase everything and far from the frightened Alex Lees set off, as would his hero Matthew Hayden, Volvo, as he described himself, compared to England’s supercars, no more.
Zack Crowley fell again from the excellent Boult, and when the creators of the first innings of the century, Olli Pope and Joe Root, went five balls apart, there was silence on Trent Bridge. Lees followed them in less than half a century, and old England would surely be distorted.
Not this one. This England is now a completely different, dynamic outfit that is already advertising and coming to the aid of test cricket, as McCallum promised to do.
What a start for Stokes and McCallum’s management team and the man who hired them, Rob Key. What a test that was, England conceded 553 after putting New Zealand in the bat, but still battling at home in a match that saw the most limits, 226 fours and 24 sixes, in each test.
We’re all hooked, as Kee advised, and we’re enjoying it just as much as the English players. Baz ball promises to provide a lot of riding.
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