Bazball is a blessing for game
BRENDON McCULLUM is not just rejuvenating England’s fortunes.
He is almost singlehandedly reviving Test cricket too.
That is the view of Mahela Jayawardene, the former Sri Lankan great who worked extensively with England’s batsmen in 2015 as a consultant.
He also knows the Kiwi with the Midas touch as well as anyone, having played against and alongside England’s Test head coach during his own extraordinary career.
Currently coaching the Southern Brave in the second edition of The Hundred, Jayawardene likes what he has seen of the new-look England.
And as they prepare to take on South Africa in the opening Test of the series at Lord’s this week, he believes Bazball could be just what the longest format is crying out for.
“It’s brilliant,” he said. “When you have the skill set that England have, with their line-up, they can play that way.
“It helps those players to play their natural game rather than play in a different way.
“I played with Baz for a long time and I know how his mind works and how he played the game.
“He’s bringing a bit of that into English cricket, which is great.
“As long as the players are responding then brilliant.
“I watched the series against New Zealand and India and the way they chased those fourth innings totals down showed that it’s the right approach for this team.
“Test cricket is becoming much more exciting as a result.
“Look at the series between Sri Lanka and Australia, and Sri Lanka and Pakistan. They were incredible games.
“It’s great to see Test cricket being played at that tempo and teams taking that aggressive approach.
“It can only be good for the game as a whole.”