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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Barney Ronay

Bairstow is Bazball’s spirit animal but maybe it’s time for the gloves to come off

Marnus Labuschagne plays a shot as Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root look on during day four of the first Ashes Test.
Jonny Bairstow (left) looks on as Marnus Labuschagne plays a shot during day four of the first Ashes Test. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

As the clock ticked past 4.36pm, the sun already burning through the mid-afternoon haze, there was some literal Bazball to be seen on the lime-green Edgbaston outfield – raw, foraged Bazball – as Brendon McCullum took Jonny Bairstow for his wicketkeeping warmup before Australia’s fourth-innings chase.

And of course it wasn’t about the catches, walloped into the gloves with a deliciously grizzled bat. This was all about the hugs, the words in the ear, the million‑dollar smile, the sense of voodoo, bro‑vibes, man‑feelings.

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