Much like fine a wine, something England Test coach Brendon McCullum is known to be partial to a drop of, Bazball appears to be improving with age.
Those hedonistic early days were a pleasure to watch as England turned Test cricket on its head – and their own red-ball fortunes around – with an ultra-aggressive mindset.
New Zealand beaten. India beaten. South Africa beaten. Pakistan beaten. New Zealand beaten again. One win in 17 pre-Bazball became 10 victories in 11 after its adoption.
A sea of sixes and success after success.
But then came the mis-steps as aggression tipped over into recklessness and the victories dried up. Golden opportunities against Australia and India were wasted.
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Last summer, England imploded against Australia at Lord’s with Sky Sports’ pundits criticising their reckless approach
England crumbled from 188-1 in the Lord’s Ashes Test as they regularly took on – and regularly got out to – the short ball, a ploy Australia had only gone to as a last resort with wickets evading them and star spinner Nathan Lyon off injured.
England’s game awareness was severely lacking. Yes, the Manchester rain cost McCullum’s men in The Ashes but so did a Lord’s brainfade.
Then, in India over the winter, Joe Root’s dismissal on the reverse scoop triggered a collapse of 8-95 in the third Test at Rajkot as 224-2 became 319 all out. Add another blunder to the list.
England’s talk was also criticised with Ben Duckett replying “the more the better” when asked how many runs the tourists could realistically chase in Rajkot – a game they went on to lose by 434 runs, skittled for 122 having been set 557 to win.
After the 4-1 series defeat, the rhetoric changed. McCullum spoke of “refining” Bazball and that process appears to have taken place going on the first two Tests of the summer against West Indies.
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Watch the best shots from Brook’s first Test century on home soil, and his fifth overall, as he scored 120 against West Indies at Trent Bridge
England show ruthless side at Trent Bridge
England’s run rate in their sole innings at Lord’s was 4.12 – brisk but not bonkers – while they showed adaptability at Trent Bridge as they clinched a first series win since a 3-0 sweep in Pakistan in 2022.
The most notable example of them reining it in was on the third evening.
When Harry Brook and Root joined forces, England were three down in their second innings, only 99 runs ahead.
The sky was caked in cloud, the lights were on and the ball was moving around. Old Bazball may have reacted by going hard. Version 2.0 reacted by being smart.
Brook and Root added 108 runs in the remaining 23.4 overs, at a run rate of 4.50, keeping the scoreboard moving while at the same time paying due respect to the taxing conditions.
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Root celebrated with a reverse ramp after scoring his 32nd Test hundred and fifth at Trent Bridge
The Yorkshire duo completed centuries the next morning but, again, were not overly aggressive. The run-rate was around 4.5 once more as they put on a further 81 in 17.4 overs. It was only after reaching his century that Root rolled out the reverse ramp.
Former England bowler Stuart Broad said: “I thought England were ruthless on the fourth morning. Root, the least selfish batter you could want, has not got to the position he is in without assessing conditions.
“He thought, ‘this track is causing me no problems, the bowlers are into the fourth day and are going to have jaded legs, so I am not going to chase the game here, I’m just going to play’.
“He accumulated in such a calm way. One to deep point, one to square leg, cover drive for four. He manoeuvred his way to such a calm hundred.
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Check out the moment Brook scored his ton in Nottingham
“Brook did it slightly differently as he has eye-catching boundary shots but it wasn’t the 10 out of 10, fifth-gear batting we have seen in the past.
“I think that will really please McCullum because, as while you want to drive the game forward and entertain, when you get the opportunity to really nail a team… that’s what Root and Brook did superbly.”
Reckless no more but still kinks to iron out
Michael Atherton added: “I think we have seen a slightly more mature approach from England. They are still rattling along at a rapid rate for Test cricket but it hasn’t felt as chaotic.
“They have been criticised in the past for their gung-ho approach, as well as their gung-ho words. Here they have been aggressive and on the front foot, but not reckless.”
Some of the old glitches with the bat were on display at Trent Bridge, though.
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Ollie Pope and Ben Duckett were dismissed in quick succession at Trent Bridge on day three as West Indies struck twice after a ball change
A few rash dismissals in the first innings prevented England scoring more than 416, not that it mattered in the end with West Indies ‘Shoaib Bashired’ on the fourth evening.
In the second innings, Ollie Pope chose not to wait and see how a replacement ball would behave, instead driving the first delivery with it to gully to end his hopes of twin tons in the game.
There are still kinks to iron out, then, but this more polished iteration of Bazball is reaping rewards, albeit against not the strongest of opposition. West Indies are game but ever so inexperienced.
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Highlights from day four of the second Test at Trent Bridge as Shoaib Bashir’s five-wicket haul shredded West Indies for 143 and secured England a series win
The tests will get harder. Probably in Pakistan and New Zealand over the winter, certainly at home to India next summer and then in Australia a few months later.
But for now McCullum can raise a glass, perhaps of fine wine, to the fact his side have swapped reckless for ruthless and become more refined. Bazball has grown up.
Watch day one of the third Test between England and West Indies, at Edgbaston, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 10am on Friday July 26 (11am first ball).
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