England's Stunning Turnaround vs. New Zealand Changes Outlook for Entire Summer
Ben Stokes stood at the top of his mark, a vibrant noise emanating from the stands at Lord's as Corey Anderson took guard. A day earlier, the tattooed redhead had delighted the crowd in St John's Wood with an instinctive, swashbuckling display with the bat, and 24 hours later, he was doing the same with the ball.
After a quick look around, Anderson was set and ready. Stokes took the first couple of steps in his run up, that vibrant noise doubling itself instantly. A few more steps. It doubled again. A few more. And again.
As Stokes reached the crease, making the little inward step that makes his delivery stride distinctive, he was met with an avalanche of sound. That sound of anticipation. The sound of excitement.
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The sound of winning.
Stokes' delivery went through to Jos Buttler, Anderson shouldering arms with relative ease. A hat-trick ball had been negotiated, but an atmospheric Lord's was only just getting started. A thrilling Test had seen the ground's energy crescendo. It was loud. Genuinely. And notable.
For a considerable time now, England's cricket crowds have been dreary. At Headingley last year against Sri Lanka, it was Siberian-wilderness like for the simple fact that no one had bothered to turn up; at Lord's against India, the home fans were left exasperated, then silenced by the travelling support.
Basically, English crowds have been like the national team: colourless and uninspired. For England fans, for everyone really, the England team has been hard to watch, hard to listen to and even harder to love.
But here, Lord's was loving Stokes. Loving Joe Root. Loving Alastair Cook. Loving England.
And with good reason.
On Monday, England became just the 14th side in history to win after conceding 500 or more runs in the first innings. On the opening morning, they'd been 30 for four. At one point in their response, New Zealand were 337 for two. On the fourth morning, England had been 74 for three, still 60 behind. And yet they won by 124 runs anyway. And how was uplifting.
It had been bold, front-foot cricket that had rescued and propelled England. Twice. In the first innings, Root and Stokes' dashing partnership thwarted the surging visitors. In the second, Stokes' explosion blew them away.
With an infectious positivity spread by two 20-somethings, England out-adventured the most adventurous. Out-braved the bravest. New Zealand had arrived as one of the game's hottest teams, led by the most daring of captains, still bathing in a sparkling World Cup campaign.
No one thought England would win a shootout with the Kiwis. If England won, it would be because they ground Brendon McCullum and his men down. Because they used the attritional stuff. Used their experience and knowhow. Well, that was the consensus anyway. One borne out of several seasons of unwavering conservatism.
As such, this first Test has been hugely significant for England. It's so much more than a win—it's an eradicator of negativity; it's a blueprint; it's a way forward. The effect it could yield might be profound.
Monday's victory could be a seminal one for England. Suddenly, the focus will shift away from the misery—the coach's sacking, the Kevin Pietersen saga, the cynicism surrounding Andrew Strauss, the fury with the board, the public's detachment from the game.
Now, there's something else. There are reasons to watch, to smile. Reasons for England to start loving its national team again. The dazzling Stokes has given England that. So too the unrelenting Root. The recovering Cook. The promising Mark Wood. The fresher Stuart Broad. The 400-wicket bound James Anderson.
In the books, it's only a single win. In reality, it's so much more.
The whole complexion of England's summer has just changed.
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