England to persist with 'Bazball' despite innings defeat to South Africa in Lord's Test

20.08.2022 - 09:55 thenationalnews.com

England captain Ben Stokes promised to persist with their new attacking approach to batting in Test cricket despite being handed an innings defeat in the first Test against South Africa at Lord's.

The hosts were dismissed for 149 in their second innings before tea on the third day, with the Proteas effectively winning the game in six sessions after most of Wednesday's first day was lost to rain.

Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj struck twice before fast bowler Anrich Nortje followed up with a superb spell of three wickets for no runs in 10 balls as the Proteas took a 1-0 lead in a three-match series.

The Three Lions, coached by Brendon McCullum, have adopted an attacking approach to the Test arena, dubbed "Bazball", and have chased down impressive targets to win against New Zealand and India in the last two months with a swashbuckling batting style.

cricket Test Brendon Maccullum South Africa New Zealand India

England will select their side for next week’s third Test against South Africa at the Oval from an unchanged 14-man squad.

2nd Test: England vow to stick with 'Bazball' in bid to level South Africa series

The hosts have arrived at Manchester's Old Trafford 1-0 down in a three-match series following a chastening innings-and-12-run defeat inside three days by the Proteas at Lord's last week. That was their first defeat under the new leadership duo of Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum following a run of four successive wins with an aggressive approach dubbed 'Bazball', characterised by attacking batting that saw England chase down stiff fourth innings targets against New Zealand and India during the past two months. England, however, had no answer to a formidable South Africa pace attack led by Kagiso Rabada at Lord's, where they were dismissed for just 165 and 149 in their two innings, although a lack of domestic red-ball cricket since last month's win over India, was arguably more responsible than 'Bazball' for a clatter of wickets. And a rare double failure by Joe Root meant England have not won a Test when the star batsman has not made a fifty for more than two years.

England vow to stick with 'Bazball' in bid to level South Africa series

England captain Ben Stokes has insisted there will be no let-up in the team's attacking approach as they look to bounce back in the second Test against South Africa starting on Thursday.

Ben Stokes says England are ‘aligned’ despite heavy Test defeat to South Africa

Ben Stokes insisted everyone in the England dressing room is on the same page as they look to move on from their heavy three-day defeat in the first Test against South Africa at Lord’s.