Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes took the idea of a positive approach, multiplied it by a zillion and dipped it in chocolate.
England ’s power pair produced an utterly extraordinary afternoon of Test cricket to win both the match by five wickets and the series with a 2-0 lead with one to play. But they also redefined how the game can be played by chasing down a record total at the ground and doing as if this were the Indian Premier League.
A target of 299 from 72 overs on the final day at just over four runs per over was certainly do-able with a fair wind. But thanks to Bairstow’s hurricane innings of 136 from just 92 balls and Stokes’ 75 not out, the target was reached with more than 20 overs to spare.
At tea the game was still very much in the balance with England 139-4 from 34 overs and 160 more still required Whatever words of encouragement or tea-time treats Brendon McCullum ordered up for them during the 20 minute break made all the difference though, because they took their strokeplay to the most brutal of levels.
“I had a ham and cheese toastie and a cup of coffee,” said Bairstow of his pre-thrashing meal. “When we got back out there Ben said don’t even think about hitting the ball down, send it into the stands.”
From the first four overs after tea they took 59 runs off Matt Henry and Trent Boult and they never looked back - in fact they and everyone else was too busy looking skywards as the ball flew over the ropes time and again.
They clattered a further 44 from the next five and the carnage simply never stopped as Bairstow snatched the record for the second fastest Test hundred for England away from Stokes. It took just 77 balls for him to reach three figures, beating Stokes’ mark of 85 and just one behind the record of 76 that still belongs to Gilbert Jessop after 120 years.
It is probably worth noting that the overall record of 54 balls belongs to McCullum, which seems like a landmark one of his players is already out to break, and who would bet against it after a display like this. Fittingly it was Stokes the captain who hit the winning runs with what seems like a customary cut away for four through the off side.
It was how he won that incredible Ashes Test at Headingley in 2019, and that is just about the only finish that can eclipse what we were lucky enough to witness here. Both featured Stokes at his very best, striking the ball cleanly and powerfully no matter where it was delivered, but even he was overshadowed by Bairstow.
“We saw it as a one day game,” said Bairstow. “The pitch was very good and the outfield was very fast. With the players we have in the dressing room we can play this brand of cricket and it is the cricket that we want to play. Days like this are just so great.”
England’s number five had spent the early part of the summer taking down bowling attacks in the IPL so perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised at what he was able to do. But it is one thing playing that way in a T20 or ODI, but quite another in a Test when you are chasing a total, and not just setting the game up.
That is when the pressure is supposed to be at its highest. That is when the pitch is supposed to play at its hardest. But here it was where Alex Lees, then Bairstow and Stokes, and finally Ben Foakes played at their most fluent.
