If the selectors were taking a gamble back in May they have been vindicated by the resultsWelcome, once again, to the summer of Jos. At five minutes past two, with the skies still bruised and grey, Jos Buttler produced one of those extraordinary shots, where suddenly the basic rules of batting seem to turn a little goofy and sozzled.It came at just the right time too. England had crawled and then cantered their way to 317 for nine in the first innings of this final Test, driven there by Buttler’s resistance alongside Stuart Broad, who batted with tenacity and skill in the morning, only briefly switching into doomed drunken-scarecrow mode just before lunch. Related: Jimmy Anderson facing dissent fine after...
Former captain shares season-best opening stand of 60 and goes on to make 71 in the first innings of his 161st and final TestIt was the sound of Alastair Cook leaving the crease at the Kia Oval that you really noticed. There were three parts to it. First was the weird, involuntary groan as Jasprit Bumrah rushed a ball through Cook’s defences to splay the stumps. It was 4.22pm. Cook had nudged and cuffed and occasionally flashed his way to an autumnal half century on one of those sunny, steady opener’s days where the game is still crisp and starchily in order, there to be tickled into shape, and where, briefly, anything seems possible.Bumrah has been the best of India’s...
The retirement of England’s record runscorer means a new senior man at the top of the order is needed for the upcoming winter tour of Sri LankaAll eyes will be upon England’s opening batsman at the Oval. Lean, dignified, quick to smile and forever diligent in the way he goes about his business – combatting the new ball so that the fancy Dans down the order can have some fun – he will make his way to the middle to warm applause. The spotlight is on Keaton Jennings. Related: Six years of change leave England with a big post-Cook hole to fill | Andy Bull Related: Keaton Jennings shipwrecked amid a storm of failure by England’s top order | Andy...
From a century on debut, via a career-saving innings against Pakistan, to an Ashes series in which Australia became sick of the sight of him: the former captain’s best Test knocksYou just knew. It was not just that Alastair Cook scored a century on debut at the age of 21; it was the way he did it – calmly, methodically and straight after a three-day trip from the England A tour of the Caribbean. It was clear Cook would score many more Test hundreds, not least because he knew his limits - and accepted them – better than most senior batsmen. His cherubic features caught the eye of one local fan, who scrawled a marriage proposal on a banner. Cook...
The fourth Test win against India presented a rollercoaster ride for fans in the form that is the pinnacle of the gameLarge 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...