Ashes 2024: Australia triumphs over England in a thrilling contest on Sunday at Lord’s. Despite Ben Stokes’ remarkable score of 155 runs, England suffered defeat, they lost by 43 runs. Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc proved to be fruitful for Australia as each scalped 3 wickets, and facilitated Australia reaching the finish line.
On the fifth day, England began their second innings with a score of 114/4. Apart from Stokes and Duckett, none of the other batter’s could contribute effectively for England. Duckett, scoring 83, was dismissed shortly after the drinks break in the first session of the day. Following his departure, Jonny Bairstow’s stay at the crease was cut short in an unusual manner by Alex Carrey. However, Stokes’s outstanding performance remained unaffected as he played a remarkable innings. Eventually, he was dismissed by Josh Hazelwood, but his exceptional performance earned him praise from fans of both Australia and England.
Australia was formidable since the inception of the Second Test of the Marquee Ashes, the momentum might have slightly shifted in the favor of England, but it was the Aussies who asserted their dominance once again and reigned supreme. Now, Australia has taken an unassailable lead of 2-0, and are well-ahead in this Ashes series.
Is ‘BazBall’ An Effective Approach?
Indisputably, England has won 11 out of 13 Test matches by employing this method, however the approach has faltered against Australia, the former has lost two consecutive Test matches and are 2-0 down, thus the question arises, Is BazBall a reliable approach? Is it the opportune moment that England should go out and look for alternative strategies and approaches to win the remaining Test matches? Australia is a formidable opponent, and England must avoid any errors at this critical juncture. They need to come back stronger in the third Test of the Ashes 2024.
The primary issue lies in BazBall approach, is that England tend to adopt an overly aggressive stance without emphasizing calculated aggression. Their relentless pursuit of attacking play became their focus, which cost wickets. In the 1st innings Bairstow took risks and tried to play several boundary shots, which resulted in his dismissal. Many cricket experts and fans have claimed the ‘BazBall’ approach as an entertainment method but not a winning approach.Â
Sir Andrew Strauss claims that the BazBall approach is an integral part of the team now, and it will be wrong to change the method but he still believes that Test Cricket needs to be played smartly and tactfully rather than aggressively. He acknowledges the significance of adaptability, prompting England to assess the demands of the situation and inquire what is required. The approach needs to be employed, determining the situation and circumstances.
Aakash Chopra has also inquired whether England will still opt for BazBall or change their approach. He also believes that the bowling unit of England is very neutral and ‘it is not up to the level of cricket they want to play’. He admits that it is the battle of Ideology, one wants to play entertaining cricket (England) while other wants to play methodical cricket (Australia).Â
Bairstow’s Unexpected Dismissal:
Bairstow’s dismissal ignited sparks among England fans and cricket experts, while some say it’s lack of concentration the other say it’s against the spirit of the game. England’s wicketkeeper-batsman was run out by Australia’s Alex Carey when he ventured beyond his crease in reaction to a bouncer from Cameron Green.Â
Ben Stokes believes that he will not dispute this, as he claims it was out, but later says that he would not wish to win the game in that manner, while Pat Cummins believes that it is within the laws and it is totally fair play. The opinions are divided amongst fans. Nevertheless, opinions hold little weight now as Australia has emerged triumphant in the test match, and are leading the Ashes series.
The Third Test match of the Marquee Ashes 2024 will be held at Headingley from 6th July onwards.
