I have been analysing why I currently have this fascination with the English cricket team playing Bazball. In my earlier years there was always a hatred towards the English, especially their rugby and cricket teams.
There was always the sense of Mother England patting their little relative on the head, saying, “keep trying son, but you will never be as good as us.”
If my memory serves me right, the English parading around the field after drawing with the All Blacks in 1997 only adds fuel to the fire. They were one team we did not like losing to.
It wasn’t until 1977 when we won our first cricket test over England and in 1973 when we won over Australia for the first time that we were viewed to be good enough to play with the big boys. Up until then there were numerous thrashings by both Australia and England.
There was always a condescending attitude from English sporting teams towards NZ, especially in cricket where it has only been recently where New Zealand’s international record has demanded respect. In England’s defence we and other cricketing nations will always play second fiddle to an Ashes series against the old foe.
So why after many years of battling with the English do I now have a great desire for them to win their matches playing Bazball? I even wrote an article asking who to support Brendon McCullum or the Black Caps in their recent series in England!
Such treachery! For McCullum I really wanted him to succeed playing a brand of cricket that had its foundations laid after Phil Hughes passing in 2014 and how his death affected the Black Caps.
Gilbert Enoka, the Blacks Caps sports psychologist profoundly told the team, “all your preparation, all you have ever thought about in cricket, just throw it out the window for this one game.” McCullum stated in his MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture address that, the outcome of the ‘uncaring’, no-consequence play was a revelation to me.
I suspect it was something I had been trying to achieve on a personal level for years; but I had been unable to do so, except for fleeting moments. Here there was a release of many of the external factors that can creep in and influence a player.
There was an instinctiveness that took over – no fear of failure, just playing and being ‘in the moment’.
Playing in the moment without consequence, sounds familiar doesn’t it? McCullum added, “We put together 690 runs, the biggest total ever by a New Zealand side and the second-highest score against Pakistan by any team. As a team we averaged nearly five runs an over and we hit 22 sixes; a world record number in a Test innings.
England wicket keeper Jonathan Bairstow. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)
In my new-found mental freedom, I managed a double-century and Kane Williamson scored a much finer 192.”
Cricinfo summed it up by saying, “long live their attitude.” Well, we are seeing it today but with McCullum as coach of England.
When I supported McCullum, it was for the style of cricket and the spirit it is played in, not any players I have an affinity with. It is a maverick style of play rather than a conservative one which I personally relate to and want to see succeed.
When I am vociferous in my desire for England to win against Australia, it is exactly how I felt when they were playing the other countries, yes including New Zealand.
So, it seems their method of play is more important than the result. I counted 13 draws between New Zealand and England between 1990 and 2023 out of 46 matches, there were 8 draws out of 19 games between 1990 and 2000. Are these the statistics we really want to see? England under Joe Root won 1 test in 17 matches, from June 2022 under McCullum to May 2023 they won 10 from 12.
After being beaten by South Africa in the first test at Lord’s McCullum asked, “Could we maybe go a little harder and try turn some pressure back on the opposition?” Which they duly did and he has also said the same thing after losing to Australia at Edgbaston.
There has been talk of Bazball “saving Test cricket” which will only be confirmed over time. But if it makes an unbiased Kiwi supporter and former English critic watch then it can only be a good thing.
I sincerely hope the rest of the series is a blueprint of the first test with action a plenty and many special moments. Cricket played in a rambunctious style coached by a certain Kiwi! If the coach was from England who had created Bazball would I be feeling the same? That I cannot answer.
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