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New York Times
5 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
England and Ben Stokes are changing the cricket toss
There was a time when bowling first after winning the toss was Test cricket's ultimate defensive move. Nasser Hussain, one of the best of all England captains, has never been allowed to forget the time he asked Australia to bat in Brisbane at the start of the 2002-03 Ashes and saw them rattle up 492. Australia won by 384 runs. Advertisement The boot was on the other foot in 2005 when Ricky Ponting decided to bowl first at Edgbaston against the wishes of his great spin bowler Shane Warne and saw England rush to 407 on day one. England went on to win by two runs in what was to become one of the greatest Tests of all time. The thinking was that the inserting captain was more afraid of what the opposing attack may do to his batting line-up rather than confident of what their own could do. Only if conditions were totally in favour of seam and swing bowling — on a pitch with excess grass on it, moisture underneath the surface or under cloudy skies to help the ball move — would a captain even consider bowling first. Conventional wisdom in Test cricket was always 'bat first if you win the toss and, if you have to think about it, still bat first', a saying first attributed to WG Grace in the 1800s. Ben Stokes has changed that. The England captain who is redefining the Test game along with coach Brendon McCullum with the style of cricket known as 'Bazball' has turned bowling first into an attacking weapon. Where teams once wanted to bat first when the pitch was at its best and look to dictate a game, now they try to set up a run chase even it is so steep it would have seemed impossible not long ago. That is the case with England and other teams are following suit, with India captain Shubman Gill admitting at the start of this second Test at Edgbaston and before the first one at Headingley that he too, like Stokes, would have bowled. So England will not be worried that India took advantage of a flat pitch and the lack of a real X-factor in the England attack to reach 310 for five by the close, with Gill unbeaten on 114. India were perfectly placed at 359 for three after the first day in Leeds and observers were questioning whether Stokes had had his 'Hussain moment' before England went on to win a classic Test by five wickets having been set 371 to win. 'It's a good job a Test lasts five days,' said Stokes, wryly, afterwards. The statistics back up the Stokes plan. He had bowled first after winning the toss in nine home Tests before this one since 2022 and England have won seven of them. Only against Australia at Lord's in 2023 has it backfired and led to a defeat, with the one draw coming at Old Trafford the same year when England would have almost certainly won had the last two days not been lost to rain. Advertisement That policy was summed up in the Test against India here in Birmingham in that first Bazball year, postponed from the previous season because of Covid-19, when Stokes said after winning the toss 'we'll have a chase' instead of 'we'll have a bowl' and England romped to their record-breaking 378 target on the final day. It is different overseas, particularly in Asia where pitches still largely deteriorate as the Test goes on. Stokes has batted first six times upon winning the toss on the sub-continent. But at home, where wickets labelled 'chief executive pitches' because they last a full five days to boost profits, are prevalent, Stokes has a template virtually set in stone. It is not just the pitches. Modern audacious, highly skilful batting in the Bazball mould, where there are no consequences for getting out while attacking, has been the biggest single reason why England are changing the face of the game. They believe they can chase anything now. That self-belief extends to their efforts in the field, too. Stuart Broad, one of England's best ever bowlers with 604 Test wickets, used to talk of the extra pressure placed on the attack should his captain decide to bowl first. Broad felt he and Test cricket's most successful seamer in James Anderson, with 704 wickets, were expected to bowl their opponents out in under a day to justify the decision. But now England and their bowlers always seem to retain faith in the captain, even when India reached 430 for three in the first Test. Instead England took the last seven wickets for 41 and were back in the hunt. England seem to have got in India's heads. India batted circumspectly in the third innings in Leeds before again collapsing, losing their last six wickets for 33, when they seemed unsure how many they needed to guard against England's charge. Advertisement Then they selected a defensive line up here, packing the team with all-rounders and picking an inferior second spinner in Washington Sundar ahead of the more attacking option of Kuldeep Yadav to try to bolster the tail. Most inexplicably, India left out superstar bowler Jasprit Bumrah in a Test they cannot afford to lose because they believe he can only feature in three of the five Tests. He is thought to be desperate to play at the home of cricket of Lord's in the third Test. 'Baffling,' said former India all-rounder Ravi Shastri, who is usually supportive of India, in the Sky Sports commentary box. 'No ifs or buts, Bumrah had to play.' It remains to be seen whether India's conservatism will prove costly. England, meanwhile, will believe they can chase whatever India leave them after three innings of this Test. And it would be foolish to bet against them.
The Guardian
a day ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Talisman Stokes at Edgbaston evokes Flintoff's 2005 impact – but he is due a score
A day out from the second Test against India at Edgbaston and Andrew Flintoff was dog-sticking to England's batters in the nets, his very presence bringing memories of 20 years ago flooding back. It was here where Flintoff wrote his name into Ashes folklore, igniting the afterburners for England's statement first innings, rescuing the second with a six-laden counterattack, and then sending down a famous over on the third evening that vaporised Justin Langer and Ricky Ponting. As well as driving England to that famous two-run victory, 141 runs and seven wickets across the four days made it Flintoff's statistical peak as a fast-bowling all-rounder – the only time he went north of 100 runs and five wickets in the same Test. People often underestimate the physical and mental demands that the dual role places on those hardy enough to even attempt it; expecting both facets of their game to deliver consistently is unrealistic save for a handful of freakish greats. All of which is a segue into where Ben Stokes finds himself before this second instalment against India, albeit 1-0 up and buoyed by last week's Headingley heist. With everything crossed and wood being touched, the hamstring surgery at the start of the year can be deemed a success. This summer – albeit across a small sample size of two Tests – the 34-year-old has been England's most potent bowler. His pace is up, good movement has been extracted from a couple of flat surfaces, and taking eight wickets at 20 apiece has made for an invaluable return from a fourth seamer. Stokes is now two wickets away from overtaking Flintoff's 219 in Test cricket, after which only Ian Botham's tally of 383 sits higher among English all-rounders. And while Stokes has taken a bit longer to get here – 112 caps won compared with Flintoff's 78 – he has long since scorched past him with the bat, 13 hundreds to the Lancastrian's five, 6,781 Test runs to his 3,845. Add dynamism in the field – Flintoff's bucket hands at slip notwithstanding – plus his aptitude as captain and it is fair to say Stokes has gone past the all-rounder he says he looked up to as a kid. But while the bowler of old has seemingly been restored of late, Stokes the batter has been light on impact for a little while now. The 155 that he ransacked on that febrile final day at Lord's during the 2023 Ashes – an innings powered in part by indignation over the controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow by Alex Carey – is his most recent Test century. A run of 31 innings in the two years since has just become the longest three-figure drought of his England career. None of which is to question Stokes' centrality to a team that live and breathe his every word – not least given the earlier point about sustaining all-round returns, though it is fair to say he's due a score. It may simply be that Stokes has instinctively moved to bolster the area where the team need him most. The bowling attack has suffered a significant drop-off in experience since the retirements of Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad, hard-working though it is, whereas the top seven are beginning truly to blossom around the enduring, unflappable class of Joe Root. Edgbaston, 2-6 July England (confirmed) Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir India (possible) Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna The mystery of whether they will face Jasprit Bumrah in this second Test felt no closer to being solved a day out from the toss, with the captain, Shubman Gill, the latest from the India camp to grapple with the mental gymnastics of his prized asset's predetermined workload. At 1-0 down and after a week's break, it feels like a no-brainer for India, but the decision will apparently be made as late as possible. Save for a couple of dismissals that left his jaw on the ground, Stokes has an excellent head-to-head record against Bumrah, averaging 58.5 from 11 Test encounters. On a personal level, he should be relaxed either way. Sign up to The Spin Subscribe to our cricket newsletter for our writers' thoughts on the biggest stories and a review of the week's action after newsletter promotion Instead, the chief concern against India for Stokes over the years has been the spinners, with the now retired Ravichandran Ashwin claiming his wicket 13 times from 17 Tests and Ravindra Jadeja making it seven from 14 in Leeds. Against Kuldeep Yadav he averages just six runs for his three dismissals and that battle may be about to resume. On a dry surface that is expected to produce runs, the left-arm wrist-spinner would ask fresh questions of England as a whole, even if Washington Sundar's greater prowess with the bat may yet mean he gets the nod. One thing that can be guaranteed is that Edgbaston and Birmingham's Manhattan-esque skyline will deliver a mighty backdrop for the match, the ground sold out for the first four days and the Hollies Stand no doubt set to be in full voice. A week on from folks leaving Headingley slightly baffled by the ground's exclusion from the 2027 Ashes, it is worth noting that Edgbaston will be frozen out four years later. Think back to Flintoff's herculean all-round feats here 20 years ago, or some of the famous Test battles since, and the situation is no less frustrating.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pat Cummins goes against Aussie tradition as baggy green detail comes to light
Pat Cummins has gone against the grain and opted to sport a brand new baggy green for the Test series against the West Indies after a special request was granted for the Aussie captain. The baggy green is arguably the most recognisable and prestigious piece of clothing in Australian sport and players often wear the cap until it is in tatters. The likes of Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting and David Warner all wore their iconic hat until it was falling apart. Waugh's captaincy changed the perception of what the baggy green stood for in cricketing culture and it became a treasured item in the Aussie sporting landscape. While some do get their cap repaired after years of wear, most players insist on keeping the same item throughout their entire career. Steve Smith recently had the front of his treasured cap fixed after it frayed on the brim having worn it for 16 years. However, Cummins has gone for an alternative approach and opted to replace his tattered baggy green with a new one after 68 Test matches. In the World Test Championship final, fans noticed the Aussie captain's cap was falling apart. He even opted to wear a hat in his post-match press conference. And ahead of the West Indies series, Cummins has been delivered a new cap albeit it with a twist. Cummins wasn't happy with the way his old baggy green was repaired and opted to get Albion to replace his cap, according to reporter Bharat Sundaresan in Barbados. While this is an alternative approach, Cummins' request for Albion to make the cap is big considering Kookaburra have taken over the manufacturing of the iconic piece. Cummins was initially presented his Albion Baggy green on his debut in 2011 against South Africa. Kookaburra took over the contract to make the item in 2016, which meant Cummins was going to have a different manufacturer and a slightly lighter shade of green. Instead, Cummins made sure Albion made his new item and it could be the very last one they do considering it was a request from the captain. "He asked for a new one, but insisted it was an Albion," Sundaresan said on The Final Word podcast. "There is always so many stories for every cricketer who's been fortunate to have got the baggy green." Cummins will wear his new baggy green for the first time on Wednesday when he leads Australia out against the West Indies. The new baggy green will also go along with a fresh starting XI for Australia after going down to South Africa in the WTC final this month. Pat's wearing a brand new baggy green with his old one quite knackered. Of interest to kit badgers: he's very pleased that it is one of the last (possibly the last) Albion. #WIvAUS — Adam Collins (@collinsadam) June 24, 2025 "Every Baggy Green tells a story" Pat Cummins got a new one but made sure it was the classic ALBION brand!#WIvsAUS @YouCanCountOnMB — The Final Word (@Final_Word_Pod) June 24, 2025 RELATED: Alyssa Healy reveals retirement backflip in huge call on future South Africa get last laugh as Aussie sledge backfires badly Speaking ahead of the first ball against the West Indies in Barbados, Cummins revealed the leadership see Cameron Green as their long-term No.3 option. Green was reinstated for the WTC final at No.3, but failed to get into double figures in either innings. However, the captain feels the side is looking to give Green an extended run to show his talent. "We see that (No.3) as a long-term option," Cummins said. "Going in to last week, he's hitting the ball really well. He's moving really well. He had a Test match where it obviously didn't go to plan. The message is not to look too much into that. We're really happy with where his game is placed. I dare say he'll get a decent run at No.3." This comes as Marnus Labuschagne was dropped from the side, which has seen Sam Konstas and Josh Inglis move into the XI. "If there's an opening, we could see him kind of fighting his way back into the Test team at some point, but obviously the focus now is giving a couple of other guys a go," Cummins said in a blow to Labuschagne.
Int'l Cricket Council
16-06-2025
- Sport
- Int'l Cricket Council
Ponting dissects Markram's match-defining Lord's innings
No stranger to delivering in high-pressure situations, Ricky Ponting made a habit of scoring match-winning knocks in the games that mattered the most. None more iconic than his 140 against India in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Final in 2003 and 111* against England in the ICC Men's Champions Trophy in 2009. Ricky Ponting smashes World Cup-winning ton vs India | CWC 2003 A captain's knock from Ricky Ponting paved the way for Australia's third ICC Men's Cricket World Cup title, defeating India by 125 runs in the 2003 edition. Speaking in the aftermath of the epic World Test Championship Final at Lord's, Ponting had high praise for Markram's cracking ton that helped South Africa lift the mace, placing the knock among the best centuries that he could recall on the big stage. 'When you look back through big ICC events, I think the first thing that probably comes to mind is World Cup finals,' Ponting told ICC Digital. 'And then probably Travis Head's innings (137) in the World Cup final, and then the last World Test Championship final (163). And this one's got to be absolutely as good as any of those, considering the stage, considering where South African cricket's been over the last couple of years, particularly their Test side.' South Africa beat Australia to seize the Ultimate Test | Full Match Highlights | WTC25 Final Watch the full match highlights as Aiden Markram and Kagiso Rabada led the way as South Africa bested the defending champions Australia to clinch the World Test Championship mace at Lord's. South Africa failed to make the WTC Final in the first two editions of the tournament but found a new direction under the pairing of head coach Shukri Conrad and skipper Temba Bavuma in January 2023. The Lord's win was their eighth-successive victory in Tests, one short of their personal best. One of the changes in the South Africa setup under the new leadership was the return of Aiden Markram, who had been dropped from the tour of Australia in the 2022/23 season after an extended poor run with the bat. Markram repaid the faith reposed in him with a spectacular 115 on his return in February 2023, and has looked a more determined batter in the red-ball format since, as exemplified by his fighting ton against India on a tricky surface in Cape Town in January 2024 and his Lord's masterclass. Markram's splendid ton guides Proteas to historic win | Aramco POTM Highlights | WTC25 Final Aiden Markram lead the Proteas push to the ICC World Test Championship triumph with a century for the ages at Lord's. 'To be able to stand up and perform like that when your team needs you the most is what reputations are made of. I think everyone's always known how good a player Aiden Markram was,' Ponting added. 'And I must admit, a couple of years ago when South Africa toured Australia, I couldn't believe that Aiden Markram wasn't in that touring squad at all. He didn't even make the squad. 'And here we are a couple of years later and he's played one of probably his greatest knocks. I'm sure if you asked him, he'd probably say that that's the knock that he's most proud of in his Test career, and I am pretty sure his teammates who watched it all unfold would probably say the same thing. 'So, it's a great individual achievement for him, and it's a magnificent achievement for the South African team.' Highlights: Travis Head deflates India with brilliant century | WTC23 Final The highlights of Travis Head's brilliant century on day one of the ICC World Test Championship 2023 Final between Australia and India
BBC News
13-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Allen breaks Gayle's record in stunning 151 in MLC opener
New Zealand's Finn Allen smashed a stunning 151 off 51 balls and broke Chris Gayle's sixes record as San Francisco Unicorns thrashed defending champions Washington Freedom by 123 runs in the opening game of the 2025 Major League Cricket (MLC). Allen smashed 19 sixes - beating Gayle's record of 18 in a T20 innings - as Unicorns posted an MLC record 269-5 in the first game played at Oakland Coliseum in California. His 151 is the highest score in MLC history and the joint-14th highest in all century came up off 34 balls, making it the fastest in the MLC and second-fastest in all T20 franchise leagues behind Gayle's 30-ball effort for Pune Warriors in the IPL in 2013. However, Allen beat the record for the fastest 150, reaching the landmark in 49 balls, bettering Dewald Brevis' 52 balls in his 162 for South Africa's domestic T20 league in who are coached by Australia great Ricky Ponting, raced to 50-0 off 3.2 overs and 79-0 after five overs, but openers Rachin Ravindra (42 off 17) and Mitchell Owen (39 off 20) were dismissed in successive openers. That sparked a dramatic collapse with Freedom losing their final eight wickets for 49 runs with Glenn Maxwell out for five and Glenn Phillips for nought as batters four to nine were all dismissed for single figures. They were bowled out for 146 in 13.1 overs with Pakistan's Haris Rauf the pick of the Unicorns bowlers claiming 3-30. Unicorns are back in action against Los Angeles Knight Riders at 22:00 BST on Saturday, while Freedom follow against Seattle Orcas from 02:00 on Sunday.
