Bazball Bonanza: England’s Absurd Shot Redefines the Blitz

Australia faces realities of Bazball after blistering batting display and pre-stumps declaration from England

In a wild opening day of the Ashes, it was England who did all the attacking. The hosts scored at more than five runs an over before a bold declaration from Ben Stokes.

Defensive fields may continue to be necessary as Australia accepts that keeping England to five runs per over could be a pass mark during the Ashes.

On a remarkable opening day to the series at Edgbaston, England posted almost 400 at better than five runs per over then made a pre-stumps declaration before David Warner survived an early salvo from nemesis Stuart Broad.

Joe Root’s unbeaten 118 – his 30th Test ton and first Ashes century since 2015 – led England to 8-393 when Ben Stokes declared after just 78 overs, with the Aussies making it to stumps at 0-14 through four overs. England had been 5-176 before a 121-run stand between Root and Jonny Bairstow (78 from 78) shifted the balance of the game back in the hosts’ direction. Nathan Lyon took 4-149 from 29 overs as all of Australia’s bowlers went at more than four runs per over on a flat wicket.

Australian captain Pat Cummins spread the field from the start of the day, generally positioning at least three men on the boundary to deal with England’s high-octane Bazball approach. Returning paceman Josh Hazlewood (2-61 from 15) said the Aussies were getting their heads around how to handle such a dynamic opponent.

Change in strategy necessary for Australia

“I think probably the line we bowled (was a touch off). In England you’re probably thinking to keep on that fourth and fifth stump and keep looking for the outside edge, when the wicket probably dictated not that.

“We had to change our game plan I guess a fair bit and come straighter, and we were probably just in between bowling straight and really setting that field and staying there and really bowling that line and length channel. So it’s just about jumping into that and really going all in on that I think, which we probably should have a little bit earlier, and really stuck to it for longer.”

Despite England’s rapid scoring rate, Hazlewood said the day had ended with honours even.

“We’ve got to start to look at things a little bit differently I guess, and not so much look at strike rates and economies and things like that. It’s just about wickets and the score and if we can keep it as simple as that I think that’ll go a long way to wrapping our heads around the new Ashes,” Hazlewood said.

“There’s a lot more ones probably, but if we shut down the boundaries then the score doesn’t really go through the roof at sevens and eights. If we can keep them at five an over and keep taking wickets throughout the day, that somewhat keeps them in check.

“It’s just about getting our heads around it as a bowling group, that the fields are out from ball one almost.

“The wicket was, not a great deal in it, very very slow, not much sideways movement or swing or anything.”

FIVE KEY MOMENTS FROM DAY ONE

FREAK DISMISSAL

It was Lyon’s 489th Test wicket and few could have been more unusual. Harry Brook shouldered arms to the off-spinner, with the ball ricocheting off the England batter’s thigh pad, over his shoulder, deflecting off his leg and onto the stumps to end a quickfire 32.

HEAD CASE

Brook had raced to 24 when he looked to guide a wide on from Scott Boland towards the deep third man boundary. The shot was misplaced, but Brook got a life when Travis Head spilled the chance. Head missed a regulation ground ball to allow a boundary moment later, and eventually received ironic cheers when he fielded cleanly.

UMPIRE STRUGGLES

It wasn’t a great day for umpires Marais Erasmus or Ashan Raza. Between the two of them they had three decisions overturned on review. But the Aussies could kick themselves too, not even appealing after Zak Crawley edged one from Boland on 40.

STANDING HIS GROUND

A decade on from Broad’s infamous non-walk in the opening Test of the 2013 Ashes, Crawley got away with that first nick and almost survived another when Erasmus turned down a Boland appeal on the stroke of lunch. But this time the Aussies went upstairs, and it was soon clear that Crawley had gloved one to be gone for 61.

MITCH SWITCH

For about 20 minutes, the Edgbaston press box sprung to life before play when all-rounder Mitch Marsh marked his run-up alongside several of the other Australian bowlers. One of the more stunning Ashes selection calls briefly beckoned before it became clear that Marsh wasn’t playing, and that Hazlewood replacing Mitchell Starc would be Australia’s only change.

Day one as it happened: Relive all the key moments from a thrilling day at Birmingham

STUMPS: AUSSIES SURVIVE AFTER ROOT MASTERCLASS

That is stumps on day one – a big day on all fronts! Usman Khawaja and David Warner will be pleased to have passed their first test, a searching 20-minute examination from Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson. Australia are 0-14, with Khawaja unbeaten on four and Warner on eight, trailing England’s 8(dec)-393 by 379 runs. But the runs won’t worry them, there’s plenty of time left in this match. And the wicket looks perfect for batting.

As it did for Joe Root, with the former England captain ending an eight-year Ashes century drought to set up the home side’s impressive first-innings total. And yet the declaration came as a surprise to some, with Root in complete control and the runs still flowing.

Join us again tomorrow for more Ashes madness.

3.15AM: AUSSIE OPENERS’ NERVOUS START

Ooooh boy, the Aussie openers look a touch nervy. Twice in the opening over David Warner and Usman Khawaja got themselves in a tangle while trying to attempt a single to get Warner off the mark. And he gets it on the final ball of Stuart Broad’s opening over, a nicely struck cover drive for four. A nerve-settler for Warner, and perhaps the entire Australian dressing room.

Joe Root led the way for England with a stunning century. (Getty Images)