ENG vs SA 2nd Test: Clash between ‘Bazball’ and South African seamers sets up intriguing showdown
ENG vs SA 2nd Test: Ben Stokes-led England lost the first game by an innings, they do not intend to change their new aggressive strategy when they visit South Africa at Old Trafford starting on Thursday.
After starting the first Test at Lord’s on the back foot and ultimately losing in three days. England will be hoping the toss and circumstances go their way.
They were defeated by a potent South African attack that included spinner Keshav Maharaj getting two wickets early in the innings and four seamers flattening the English batting order.
Ben Stokes, the captain of England, and Brendon McCullum, their coach, disagree, saying that they should keep attacking the bowling, abandoning caution and trying to take the game to the bowlers in the new strategy known as “Bazball.”
It has already made for compelling viewing and successful outcomes. As England recently defeated New Zealand and India by successfully chasing down enormous targets. The South African attack, led by Kagiso Rabada. And assisted by Marcus Jansen, Lungi Ngidi, and Anrich Nortje, was their equal, though.
“I guess one of the messages we will be talking about is did we go hard enough with our approach? Could we maybe go a little harder and try turn some pressure back on the opposition as well?” McCullum said after the last Test.
In order for the tourists to win the series and increase their prospects of competing in the World Test Championship final the following year, it sets up the possibility of an excellent match between bat and ball with South Africa highly reliant on their seam attack.
Although opener Zak Crawley is likely to receive another stay of execution. And be included, England has issues at the top of the order.
Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, and Ben Stokes, the middle order, who all out cheaply in the first Test last week. They have the true match-winning potential for their team.
“Taking the positives from defeat is the worst saying in sport. But from a players’ point of view what we must take from our first defeat of the summer is that. If we are committing to this enjoyable style of play, we have to be 100% in,” England bowler Stuart Broad said at the weekend.
“If you just poke around, it doesn’t work.”
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