This is it. The moment has finally arrived, the day on which the England cricket team’s devotion to itself will be tested against their duty to serve the loyal supporters who ultimately pay their salaries.
Those supporters have been royally entertained over the last three years, provided with an abundance of highlights and records unprecedented in the history of not just English Test cricket but the game’s 147 years. Ben Stokes and his team have picked up some of the most unlikely gauntlets and thrown them back in the faces of those who laid down the challenges.
Now, for the first time, they can’t win but can avoid defeat on the fifth day at Edgbaston requiring 536 runs with seven wickets in hand. The pitch is still slow, flat and reliable. They can reach Lord’s for the third Test with their one-nil lead intact, but it will require a level of skill and discipline they have never displayed before or been inclined to attempt.
In November 2012 the great AB de Villiers produced one of the great innings in South Africa’s Test history in Adelaide. Rain had helped the outplayed tourists to a draw in Brisbane and Michael Clarke’s 230, with a further centuries from David Warner (119 from 122 balls) and 103 from Michael Hussey saw Australia to 550 in the first innings.
Graeme Smith’s obdurate 122 from 244 balls and 78 from debutant Faf du Plessis helped SA limp to 388 in reply but they were left with a notional target of 430 and lost four wickets on the fourth evening. At 77-4 with a day to bat, the odds were overwhelming. It was just a matter of time. All fifth night hotel bookings were cancelled. The Australian media arrived for the final day with suitcases packed and rebooked afternoon flights home.
De Villiers had always been frustrated by the notion that ‘naturally attacking’ players couldn’t defend for prolonged periods. It infuriated him when he was told not to ‘change his game too much’. Still hit the bad balls, people said. Stubborn bugger that he could be, he batted for just over five hours on that final day scoring 33 from 220 balls, without a single boundary. He blocked full-tosses and half-volleys with equal respect. Didn’t pull long-hops and never played the cut shot. Or any attacking shot.
Du Plessis completed an extraordinary debut with an unbeaten 110 from 376 balls with South Africa saving a drowned puppy by reaching 248-8 from 148 overs at a scoring rate of 1.68 runs per over, giving the series mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Australia were so utterly deflated, and South Africa so inflated by their achievement that a crushing victory by 309 runs in the third Test at the WACA to win the series seemed almost normal. De Villiers threw off his robe of sackcloth with an eye-watering 169 from just 184 balls with 21 fours and three sixes. He reaped what he had sown. Gloriously. South African remained the number one ranked team for the next three years.
England could do similar. One-nil up following a stunning fourth innings run-chase of 371 at Headingley last week, the very best of their attacking philosophy delivering another piece of history, the time has come to accept that they’ve been outplayed this time. As South Africa accepted that they’d been outplayed, twice, in 2012.
‘Ego’ is always an emotive word in sport but it is the foundation on which ‘Bazball’ is constructed. There are many sound and solid principles, challenges to convention, also involved but basically it comes down to ego and pride. And whether the former can be swallowed in ‘pursuit’ of a target which is not pursuable. Can Ollie Pope, Harry Brook or Stokes score 230 on the fifth day? And two others score 100s? Almost certainly not. And England will lose trying.
But if the home side can bench the team ego and digest the pride, there is more than enough ability to save this Test. Zak Crawley slice-driving a catch to backward point was, well, what he does and Ben Duckett’s 25 from 15 balls was, well, what he does. It might be the time for some players to do what they ‘don’t do.’ Save the Test match. Avoid defeat. Win the Series with Jofra Archer returning at Lord’s to match Jasprit Bumrah.
All the indications are that it won’t happen. England’s top order, barring Joe Root, are “that’s the way we play” men. Shame, that.
One thing we can certain about is the raucous cheering and beer sales in the Hollies Stand in the final session of the day if England are fighting to save the game. Every dot-ball will bring the roof down in the final hour. But will England get that far? Do they care enough to?
If you think that the attitude in the England dressing room is that they ‘can’t win’ I’d suggest you haven’t been paying attention for the last 3 years. I’m not saying they can, or will, but I bet someone in there is pointing out that if they score 6 an over they’ll get there, and maybe they’ll get close enough to scare the pants off India. But they’re not going to bat for a draw. I think they’ve been fairly unequivocal on that front, and as a fan, I’m fine with that. I’ve had more entertainment watching this side than all the other years of my England cricket watching put together. Whatever they choose to do tomorrow is probably fine by me.
Nope.