The fourth Test win against India presented a rollercoaster ride for fans in the form that is the pinnacle of the game
Large as the Ageas Bowl is, and loud as Sunday’s crowd were, Joe Root’s voice carried right across the outfield, “Jonny,” he said again. Down at third man, Jonny Bairstow turned and gave him a wave of his hand. “One second,” the gesture said. Bairstow had just stepped over the boundary rope between deliveries to talk to the children huddled behind the hoardings, four girls, four boys, all of them holding out match programmes, miniature bats and scorecards for him to sign. Away in the middle, Bairstow’s teammates waited while he signed one more and then promised the rest he would come back to do theirs later. The kids waited for him.
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