England coach Brendon McCullum talk with forced smile say there don be small chaos after one week wey everybody wish to forget. According to am, seven days fit be long time for cricket, but nobody fit remember situation wey be so mundane yet manic like dis one wey don dey run since midnight curfew break for hours after England win first Test for Lord’s.
Di retirement of New Zealand greatest batter don become just footnote. Kane Williamson show im sense of timing again, but im future clear. For Ben Stokes and England, di water wey dey flow under bridge be muddy. McCullum speak with emotion and earnestness about im absent captain, show di concern wey di coach get for im skipper. Maybe dis sorry saga fit spell end of all-rounder time for England whites.
Nobody sure when and for which role Stokes go come back. Di disciplinary process for am and Gus Atkinson breach dey continue. Dey hope say some time out of spotlight go serve am well. One fit describe dia actions as misstep, misdemeanour or misdeed for context of di six months wey precede am. McCullum hurt by sense of being let down. E dey uncomfortable hear am repeatedly express concern for Stokes.
E good remember say dis hierarchy fortunate to survive Ashes. Dis situation bring renewed scrutiny on environment wey McCullum, Stokes and Rob Key cultivate. Di mess be almost entirely of England making. Di reason dem dey without dia captain dis week na because of curfew wey dem impose due to behaviour of im deputy Harry Brook. Dat limit for professional sports team recognize say e no dey function as e suppose.
Dem point out to McCullum on Monday say now dem get as many as six England players wey don dey involved for alcohol-related incidents since last November. McCullum talk say e dey unbelievably frustrating because dem dey try build environment where guys take right options. E take responsibility for all things wey no work out, but e say e no fit make every decision for everybody. Guys no dey always get am right. Every negative action get large reaction wey follow.
Di thin veneer over coarse winter wey Lord’s win provide don strip away quick. England show enough for dat success to suggest dia promised shift for style on pitch and recognition of need to do things different. But di ramifications of Stokes and Atkinson situation significant. For selection, knee injury to Ollie Robinson and happy news of arrival of Jamie Smith second child provide further headaches.
Step into dis uncomfortable breach Joe Root, England man for crisis and wartime consigliere for dis Test. Di Yorkshireman go sore to stand as captain for dis scenario, especially because of how close e be to regular skipper and how liberated e don seem for four years since record stint. But true to type, up e go step with smile and calm head, even if e no expect to dey here. Root admit say e never tink e go sit dey talk to dem as England captain again.
Key know di value of Root reliability. E say every time dem dey 10 for 2, Joe Root be di man wey get England out of hole, and e dey do dat again. Yet again, Joe Root no question anything when dem ask am to do something. E fit get burden of few more spin overs than usual, wey be unfortunate byproduct of Stokes absence unbalancing di side. Di eschewing of specialist tweaker be di preferred strategy of Surrey for dia home ground, but seam attack wey include debutant Sonny Baker and di returning Jofra Archer fit get to shoulder heavy load on surface wey no likely provide di sort of assistance wey dem enjoy last week.
Concerns over lengthy tail necessitate batter at No 7. Jordan Cox run-a-ball double hundred for im County Championship return be timely reminder of di qualities wey dis England environment don long like. With Mr and Mrs Smith new arrival ruling di wicketkeeper out, James Rew become third debutant for already callow side wey also include second-cappers Matt Fisher and Emilio Gay.
Part of di challenge wey Root and McCullum face na to ensure say environment under fire fit still liberate di new faces to play dia own way, wey be strength of dis side for di good times. McCullum ponder and admit say di scrutiny don heighten again. E say Emilio Gay do dat brilliantly last week. Same sort of messaging to di guys dis week. E get extra pressure wey come with playing for your country, and particularly for England, and particular dis week.
After all wey don happen, go get sense of relief when di cricket resume. New Zealand fit feel dat too, wey don be short of dia usual standard and now shorn of di figure wey define dem for decade and half. Williamson retirement, wey come gradually and then suddenly, hint at evolution wey don dey come for an ageing team. Rachin Ravindra remark say e dey always tough when probably dia greatest player call time. Dem all supportive of im decision. Dem share responsibility within dia batting unit. E no dey on one guy; e dey pretty hard to fill dat gap, and unfortunately e no tink many people fit do am. Dem fit sense renewed opportunity after week wey don change di complexion of dis series.
