There was a distinct sense of deja vu on Tuesday when Brendon McCullum emerged ahead of a Lord’s Test against New Zealand intent on taking the heat off England’s players.
It was the same policy he used ahead of facing his fellow countrymen four years ago in his debut match as England coach.
Back then, for the first iteration of Bazball, it was designed to liberate a team that had won once in 17 matches. This time, McCullum’s addressing of the media – speaking for the fourth time in under a week since returning from a break – allowed players to concentrate on creating a more refined style following a chastening 4-1 Ashes defeat last winter.
‘The temperature’s been a bit hot of late, we recognise that and when you’re in these positions your job is to make sure that you stand up, you’re present and you’re able to hopefully explain and navigate your way through some of these things whilst trying to get your team to the start line,’ McCullum said.
‘So, that’s kind of the idea behind it all. You’ll probably see me a little bit more often than you have previously, but for us we want our boys to really focus on the next couple of days, drilling down on the exact game that they are ready to face against New Zealand and make sure that they’re ready for that. We can wear some of the other stuff.’
Brendon McCullum wants to take the spotlight off his players following a dismal Ashes defeat in the winter
23-year-old seamer Sonny Baker is a surprise inclusion in the 12-man squad for the first Test at Lord’s
England threw something of a surprise when they named uncapped Hampshire pace bowler Sonny Baker in a match day squad of 12 for Thursday.
Baker, the fastest of the bowlers selected in the original 15-man party, has taken 19 Division One wickets in five County Championship appearances this season, at a cost of 21.68 runs each.
Asked what had shunted the 23-year-old to the verge of a third international debut across formats in nine months, McCullum said: ‘It is that air speed from him. He’s quick. I think he’s going to be a cricketer that the country really gets behind when he does play.
‘You can see he charges in, he leaves everything out there. Some guys have a bit more rhythmical component to their style. Sonny is full noise.
‘He swings the ball both ways. He hits probably a slightly fuller length and he’s obviously got the ability to touch 90 mile an hour and he’s got a skiddy bouncer.’
Meanwhile, England’s afternoon practice on the Lord’s outfield was cut short when lightning flashes forced the players into the indoor school at the nursery end of the ground.
