KEEP ON THRILLING US! SECOND TEST ESSENTIAL

Cook has to channel the spirit of Lord’s

Just four days after a thrilling victory that captured the public imagination and england are back in action needing to show they can carry on being cricket’s new great entertainers.

the second Investec test at Headingley is an opportunity for england to prove they are serious about consistently producing the positive brand of cricket that saw them outpunch Brendon McCullum’s New Zealand aggressors.

Ben Stokes was at the centre of the spectacular turn-around that put a smile back on the face of the english game, and the challenge for captain Alastair Cook now is to make sure Lord’s was not a one-off.

‘It is achievable,’ said Cook when asked if england could always play as they did in their 124-run first test victory.

‘It might be difficult to do that in Antigua and Grenada but the conditions at Lord’s, with a fantastic pitch and a fast outfield, allowed for it. It’s possible but you have to set the game up as well.’

SD Cook has always been considered a conservative captain but everything he touched at Lord’s turned to gold, including the decision to post a third man which baffled the commentators — until Moeen Ali took the match-winning catch there.

‘there is a balancing act,’ said Cook. ‘Maybe I have been too conservative in the past. Sometimes I’ve got it right and sometimes I haven’t but I’ve never encouraged anyone to play in any way other than the one that got them picked.’

It is not without irony that McCullum, who has transformed New Zealand’s fortunes, has faced criticism at home for being a bit too attacking at Lord’s but he will not change the methods that have seen his side unbeaten in six test series.

there was a hint of mischief about McCullum yesterday when he wondered whether the ‘new’ england would turn up in Leeds. ‘the question for england now is what is their authentic style?’ said McCullum. ‘What do they want to be known for heading forward?

‘Was their last performance the way they want to play or was it more a case of stumbling on it? It was a challenge we had to go through and it ended with us playing the style that is right for us. I guess time will tell if this is the way england want to play.’

Clearly, New Zealand will not mind if england come out punching again because it might give