England v South Africa: Maturing England produce their best performance of summer

2 years ago 31

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If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything.

Not too long ago, England were standing for ages in the field then seeing their wickets fall in a regular clatter.

The revolution under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum hasn't just been about crashing the ball to all parts and dishing out chin music (although that is fun to watch).

It is not a uniform style of play, but a way of thinking. Players have been backed to the hilt, fear has been removed from failure and the experience of playing for England has been made as enjoyable as possible. The idea is that confidence will grow, resilience build and, just maybe, they will win some games of cricket.

After opening with four thrilling victories in a row, the biggest examination of the Stokes-McCullum philosophy came with the innings defeat in the first Test against South Africa at Lord's. Despite the scale of the loss, England did not do a lot wrong, but McCullum was right when he said they were "timid".

England's response was to put in their most complete performance of the summer so far. For as thrilling as the run-chases against New Zealand and India were, beating South Africa by an innings at Emirates Old Trafford was grown-up Bazball.

Barryball, if you will.

Admittedly, they were helped by the Proteas picking a team for the fourth innings but forgetting about the first.

In including two spinners, South Africa ignored conditions at the toss and chose to bat when the sky was dark over Bill's mother's. It was a week after England had the wrong end of the toss at Lord's. Such is life.

England were given an opportunity but still had to take it. They did so with a maturity that hinted towards an evolution and distillation of their relentless positivity.

The two sets of conditions in which England bowled on days one and three could not have been more different.

Thursday was dark and damp, perfect for conventional swing and seam bowling. Saturday dry and dirty, the ball reverse-hooping. England had the skill to expertly exploit both.

At 40 years old, James Anderson remains the maestro, still able to arc a satsuma around corners. Stuart Broad slipped into the unfamiliar role of first-change, while Ollie Robinson 2.0 is fitter, stronger and quicker.

Stokes was Stokes, not a man made of skin and bone but hewed from granite. His 14-over spell either side of tea on Saturday, including two crucial wickets, was pure brawn in a match when he showed his captaincy brains.

For much of the summer, England's idea of attacking has been to see how many slips they can pack into the cordon. Responding to the dry surface in Manchester, Stokes often eschewed the slips in favour of catchers in front of the bat.

There have been previous times when it felt like Stokes was only programmed to bowl bouncers, yet as soon as he saw the ball reversing on Saturday afternoon he adapted to ditch the bumpers in favour of hunting an edge.

Sandwiched in between the two marvellous displays in the field was England's most intelligent batting of the summer.

Whereas the derring-do of the four run-chases against New Zealand and India came on perfect pitches, England were able to modify their method in response to the difficulty of the Old Trafford surface and pressure of the match situation.

That doesn't mean flair was abandoned. Stokes scored the second 50 in his first hundred as captain at around a run a ball. His sidekick and fellow centurion Ben Foakes nudged his Test average this summer north of 45.

Perhaps most credit should go to opener Zak Crawley, who responded to the debate around his place with the most valuable 38 he will ever make. It took a peach from Anrich Nortje to remove him, after which the crowd showed a real appreciation for Crawley's hard work.

The biggest compliment that can be paid to England's batting is this was their first win without Joe Root making a half-century in more than two years. Progress.

Overall, if Stokes and McCullum were being really greedy, Crawley's opening partner Alex Lees would have got a score. There will also come a time when England need some out and out pace, but there is not much they can do about their fast-bowling injury list.

In the space of a week the series has turned.

England head to the decider at the Kia Oval with the momentum, while South Africa have all the problems. Rassie van der Dussen, who held up England with 41 on Saturday, is out with a broken finger. Aiden Markram looks like a walking wicket.

The tourists must also decide on the best balance of their attack. If they want a second spinner, then all-rounder Marco Jansen must surely be recalled to bat at seven. Simon Harmer is so high in that spot, he is in danger of a nosebleed.

England's five wins this summer have all come batting second, even if the Old Trafford success was different to all the others.

There is some logic to their preference for chasing, but it would be fascinating to see them challenged in typical Oval conditions.

A belting pitch, a hot day, the only sane cricketing option to bat first. Can England get a big score, then work out a way to take 20 wickets, possibly with left-arm spinner Jack Leach given the task of bowling them to victory in the fourth innings?

The early summer was England's freshman year, a freewheeling romp necking cheap Jagerbombs and waking up without at hangover. At Old Trafford they knuckled down and learned something.

Winter tours of Pakistan and New Zealand lie ahead.

A series decider at the Oval is a final exam before they go out into the big, wide world.

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