1 year ago
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Our players are with us. We’ll be under way shortly.
Cook discusses how the pair have kept changing, while Woakes, who’s played 45 Tests and knows the effort that’s taken, is “in awe” of then. We all are, old mate.
Jimmy says it’s been a while since we’ve seen a Broad roll like that, by saying he doesn’t want to say it. I love how much they love each other, and he says they’ve spurred each on to stay fit, in the team, and getting better. Because they know each other’s games so well, they’re able to give each other really good advice, and he’s sure that at some point they’ll enjoy a glass of wine, enjoying their achievement in being Test cricket’s most successful bowling duo. I’ll bet. Imagine what that feels like, you and one of your best mates, doing that.
I find it slightly strange the way we sometimes talk about building towards Ashes series, in terms of England aiming to have a good team for then. The point is really to be good now, but it’s hard not to think about later in the year and wonder just how much fun that’s going to be.
Elsewhere…
It might not work the same way for him today, as conditions won’t be as helpful in the first session. But it must be mentally tough to bat in this situation, and more often than not – I think – the end comes fairly quickly.
“If there’s movement, they’ll find it,” says Chris Woakes of Branderson. Alastair Cook says that Broad messaged him saying that on this track, his natural length hit the top of off, so he didn’t have to force anything, he could just bowl. Usually, he goes over the top as he’s a tall lad.
In the interests of me health I opted not to purchase the entirety of the newsagent, which I did on Friday morning. I’ve just located my daughter’s Lotus biscuit spread. More news as I get it.
It’s been a while since we’ve seen a proper Stuart Broad rampage, and there’s little in the world more glorious. It takes someone special to turn the phrase “knees pumping” into a cliche.
Preamble
Is David Warner the reason England are like this? Maybe we’re I’m just projecting, but bear with me.
It’s true that Steve Waugh’s Australia changed the way Test cricket was played, Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer getting things moving and Ricky Ponting with his starting “Can I hit you to the fence” mindset. But it was not, I don’t think, until David Warner, that a top-order player attacked the longer-form as though it was the shorter-form.
It made perfect sense too: a batter of immense power, with a hilarious eye and unstoppable swagger; fielders behind the wicket offering gaps you don’t get in limited overs; and a new ball that flies when to it you introduce wood.
Similarly, what England are doing also makes perfect sense, because they have an entire lineup with versions of Warner’s skillset so know, just as Eoin Morgan always knew, that in many innings there’ll be accelerating destruction; in almost every innings enough batters will come off to be competitive; if they don’t there’s always another one; and if they still don’t there’s always another match.
And we can’t underestimate this last aspect: as much as is possible in international sport, Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes have removed pressure from the equation such that all their players need to do is their best, while having fun. So they are.
It’s possible New Zealand get out of this – Daryl Mitchell is a terrific player and Michael Bracewell can hit it a long way. But the likelihood is that sometime this morning, the tourists clean up – and at some point, Stuart Broad should probably give the Reverend a call on behalf of English cricket, to thank him for the endeavours that have changed English cricket.
Play: 2pm local, 1am GMT
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