For all his ups and downs across the series, the captain has given his teammates fresh bravery and beliefThey say it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert. It took Ben Stokes so many more than that to get here, to the fifth day at the Oval, England captain, 2-1 down in the Ashes, 50 or so overs left to go, Steve Smith in, and his team still needing seven wickets to level the series.All those matches he has played, for schools, clubs, county and country, through the age groups in Christchurch and Wellington and Cockermouth, for Cumbria, for Northern Schools, for Durham’s academy, their firsts and seconds, for England’s Under-18s, Under-19s and Lions, T20, Test, and ODI...
Orgy of drives, cuts and clips, pulls, ramps and sweeps added up to hosts’ best batting of this Ashes seriesThe season’s turned full circle. Eight weeks ago, Australia were here for their press day before the World Test Championship final against India. We asked Mitchell Starc what he had made of England’s aggressive play over the last year, and whether he believed they would really be able to bat like that against Australia’s attack. Starc was too smart to fall into that trap, and said, instead: “I guess we’ll find out over the next six weeks”.His grin said everything about what he was really thinking. Fat chance. A 90mph inswinging yorker does wonders for a man’s confidence, not to mention...
As England head into the fourth Test, fans are being confronted with the very same questions the skipper has set his playersIt’s the week after Christmas 2021 and England’s men have just lost the Ashes. Again. After two years of preparation and planning, they have been beaten out of sight in 12 days’ play, the last three at the MCG, where they have been bowled out for 185 and 68, and gone down by an innings and 14 runs to a team who made only 267 themselves.Covid has spread among the squad: three of the coaches have tested positive and so have four family members, despite all the precautions. They have been living in a so-called bubble for much of...
The raging atmosphere has never sounded like it did in 140 years of Test cricket at the ground after all hell broke looseAt 2pm the Harris Garden was empty, and the Nursery deserted. Apart from the idle bar and catering staff, the cleaners sweeping up the tumbling plastic cups, the outer grounds were uninhabited. Everyone was inside, in utter tumult. In the Edrich Stand they were chanting “Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Cheat! Cheat! Cheat!” and over in the Compton it was “Same old Aussies! Always cheating!”They have been playing Test cricket here for 140 years, the atmosphere at the ground has been loud enough before now, excitable, tense, and on edge, too, but it’s never felt, or sounded, quite like it...
With his methodical batting on day four at Egbaston, did we witness the logical next step for Bazball? Hello meta-Bazball – or, conventional Test cricketBen Stokes walks to the wicket slowly. This is pretty much the only thing he does slowly these days. Harry Brook tries to say a few words to him as he arrives, but Stokes isn’t really listening. There’s a little poke and a nudge of the pitch, dust and debris swept away with a swish of his bat, a kind of purification ritual, like a sumo sanctifying the dohyo. He takes his time, makes us wait, makes us watch: a man who has long since made his peace with the gaze of others. This is his...