Cameron Bancroft had quite the Monday morning. Waking up, the Australian batsman’s head was all over the back pages. Not for keeping that head during the previous evening’s half‑century, but because Jonny Bairstow had decided to give it a nudge with his own. As we later learned, this is the Englishman’s preferred style of greeting.
Bancroft then went out to the middle to finish the job he had started with David Warner, collecting the 170 they needed for victory, overtaking an 87-year record for the highest unbeaten opening partnership in a successful Test chase. An exceptional press conference followed, reducing the captain, Steve Smith, to hysterics while deftly quelling an international incident. All before lunch.
Related: Bairstow storm in teacup shows Australia still know how to get under England skins | Jason Gillespie
Continue reading...