Familiar flaws cloud over England’s bright new dawn under Ben Stokes at Lord’s | Cricket News | NEWSRUX

A dream begin to the Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum period gave motive for optimism because the outdated guard, backed up by debutant Matthew Potts, received the brand new regime off to a flyer earlier than a well-known batting collapse highlighted how a lot work nonetheless must be performed to vary England’s Check fortunes

It was the sort of morning that England might solely have dreamed of.

For all of the speak of a brand new period, a shiny new daybreak below the thrilling management duo of Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes, England are nonetheless a aspect with only one win from their final 17 Check matches.

So, because the wickets tumbled within the first hour, world Check champions New Zealand had been diminished to 12-4 earlier than ‘recovering’ for 39-6 at lunch, the sense of delicate disbelief round Lord’s was solely comprehensible.

So, too, was the nagging feeling that it was all just a bit bit too good to be true.

Assertion performances have been a characteristic of each Stokes and McCullum all through their taking part in careers, however the accepted consensus was that enhancing England’s fortunes in red-ball cricket could be a gradual course of.

One session doesn’t change that, in fact, however the worth of constructing such a begin and exhibiting that they’ll impose themselves and dominate one of many main sides on the planet shouldn’t be underestimated.

For a aspect that has been sapped of its confidence over the previous 18 months, something that may assist keep the feel-good issue that has been evident for the reason that latest appointments had been made, is to be welcomed.

But for all the great work performed within the discipline, the day ended with a sense of ‘right here we go once more’ as a batting collapse noticed the house aspect droop from 59-0 to 100-7. Some habits are onerous to interrupt.

Again all the way down to earth with a bump and the size of the duty going through McCullum and Stokes introduced into sharp focus.

Ben Stokes was a part of an England collapse of 5-8 late on the primary day

Rewind to the morning session and it was the outdated guard that ensured the brand new regime received off to the absolute best begin, Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad – with the assistance of Jonny Bairstow at third slip – doing the injury to dismantle the Black Caps’ high order.

However whilst England’s acquainted new-ball duo did their stuff, indicators of change had been evident. The slip cordon was packed, there was no fielder at cowl, not to mention sweeping on the offside boundary. The plan was clear: entice the drive.

Simply as importantly, Anderson and Broad purchased into the plan, pitched the ball up and risked conceding a boundary to spice up their possibilities of discovering the sting. Such was their accuracy, these boundaries had been uncommon within the excessive. Certainly, Anderson ended his opening spell of six overs with figures of 2-4 with 5 maidens.

James Anderson returned to the aspect and claimed 4 wickets at Lord’s

A troublesome act to comply with, you’d suppose. Nicely, not for Matthew Potts. The debutant wanted simply 5 balls to assert the prized wicket of Kane Williamson and proceeded to take 4-13 from 9.2 overs, bowling with spectacular management and talent.

He nipped the ball each methods off the seam, extracted good bounce out of the floor and customarily made life uncomfortable for the opposition batters earlier than a bout of cramp denied him the prospect to finish a five-for.

Stokes’ bowlers had been making his life a complete lot simpler however he, too, deserves credit score for holding his nerve when New Zealand went on the offensive after lunch. He stored his catchers in, urging his bowlers to stay with the plan that had received them into such place and whereas the lower-order pissed off them for a time, there was by no means any sense of panic.

There was readability within the captaincy, skilful bowling from these outdated and new and the catching was flawless.

These had been the large positives on day one of many Stokes-McCullum period they usually should not be forgotten. Even on a day when the batting failings left an ominous cloud hanging over England’s shiny new daybreak.