England’s dramatic win over New Zealand proves Test match cricket can still hold its own against shorter formats

Rumors of the death of Test cricket abound, but it is alive and well after the exhilarating match between England and New Zealand at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, which ended in coruscating fashion on Tuesday. Under a new coach and captain, the first a former captain of New Zealand and the second born there, England’s approach has become fearless, adventurous and positive, even bordering on reckless. It certainly felt that way at times over the five days, all of which I was able to watch live in person.

This new, positive approach was taken up by the administrators who opened up the final, fifth day’s play to spectators for free. This led to what looked to be an almost full house comprising a very mixed, excited, appreciative audience, hoping for drama. They got it in abundance. After New Zealand and England had achieved parity in their first innings over the first three days, scoring 1100 runs between them — something that few would have predicted — New Zealand’s second innings closed to leave England to score 299 for victory in the remaining 72 overs of the match.

At tea on the final day, the equation had been reduced to 160 in 38 overs, the outcome seemingly in the balance. New Zealand were only one wicket away from eroding England’s batting, which needed to score at four runs per over, a rate not usual in Test cricket. What followed was an extraordinary display of batting by which England rampaged to victory in only another 16 overs. The irony is that leading the way was a man who had recently returned from playing in the Indian Premier League and who seemed to be finding it difficult to adjust to Test cricket. In effect, Jonny Bairstow turned the final session of a Test Match into a limited over run-chase, almost