England fulfilled their mission of playing entertaining, positive and compelling cricket

The sight of England and New Zealand players happily kicking a ball together in the Basin Reserve gardens after the dust had settled in one of the most remarkable climaxes of any Test was proof of the fundamental ‘Bazball’ principle.

Yes, of course England want to win, as evidenced by a record that now stands at 10 wins from 12 Tests under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.

But there is a bigger picture at stake and that is England’s mission to provide highly entertaining, positive and compelling cricket throughout to try and preserve the health of what, when played like this, remains unparalleled as the best form. of the game.

And they really mean it when they say they are prepared to risk losing to accomplish that mission, as their reaction to defeat, to coin a phrase, by the slimmest of all margins, here as New Zealand won by a lonesome race in the most dramatic circumstances, test.

That’s why it’s impossible to fault Stokes for his decision to enforce follow-on, a move that gave New Zealand their only realistic chance of winning a second Test that seemed completely beyond them after the first three days.

And it’s impossible to blame a batting lineup that seemed unusually hesitant and nervous in chasing what, compared to the six successful chases they’ve already pulled off in the past year, should have been a routine jog to 258 to win this series.

New Zealand may have become only the fourth team in history to win after following on, while England were denied their seventh successive win, an historic clean sweep of all their Winter Tests and their first series win in New Zealand since 2008. But, corny as it may sound, there really were no losers on this magnificent ancient ground today.

“What a game,” Stokes said afterward without an ounce of disappointment at England’s agonizing near-miss. “I just think if you can’t look back on that match and be grateful that you were involved in a game like that, then you can’t love Test Cricket.

“We always want to give ourselves the best chance to win, but sometimes you have to lose to really appreciate how great it is to win.” And if you’re going to lose, it’s better to do it in games like that. I just think everyone is appreciating this for what it was. It was a great game to be a part of.’

That’s not to say it wasn’t heartbreaking to see Jimmy Anderson go down for a little tingle in the side of his leg with two runs needed after joining Jack Leach on seven required and duly dancing for the wicket and crushing Neil Wagner for a long time. for four of them.

It was only before what became a drawn series that Anderson was asked about England’s apparent quest for him to score the winning runs in a Test, apparently offering him the chance to break in early last summer when he nearly won a game.

The 40-year-old had none of it at the time, saying: ‘I really don’t have any desire to get the winning races in a test. I like to play bowling. But how would he have liked to when that opportunity actually presented itself against all expectations in front of a packed Cuenca Reserve.

Even Anderson’s reaction after being fired was revealing. He stopped to ask referee Chris Gaffaney why he hadn’t called a Wagner width at the previous dance (England had a legitimate case, but no one complained afterwards), but then Anderson was quick to shake New Zealand’s hand. gamers and, yes, even smile. “He just enjoyed the whole thing,” Stokes said.

Compare that to Anderson’s reaction nine years ago when he was in tears after going out against Sri Lanka at Headingley when he seemed to have merely secured a draw. Make no mistake, this matters to Anderson, but now he can see the big picture, too.

We should remember something of the drama of the last days. England lost four wickets in the first hour to leave firm favorite New Zealand, Joe Root somehow running out of new superstar Harry Brook before he had even faced a ball. It was to prove the most decisive moment of many of them throughout this Final Test.

But the former England captain at Root joined his successor Stokes in a partnership of 121 that looked certain to turn the game in England’s favor before both were sacked recklessly flicking four balls from Neil Wagner to leave 57 still needed.

It was then that Ben Foakes, making a very strong case to stay in this England side when Jonny Bairstow returns, took charge and led the tail brilliantly, taking his side to seven from victory before he too went down, this time well caught by Wagner. by Tim Southee.

Anderson played the shot of his life against Wagner to push England to the limit, but it was to prove a case of so near yet so far, New Zealand enjoying the kind of final where they were on the wrong side when England won ‘by the minimum of the margins’ in the final of the World Cup of 2019.

England could, of course, have eliminated their opponents from the game had they not enforced tracking. Any regrets, Ben? “I thought it was the right call thinking of the way we’d run through the New Zealand top order in the previous three innings,” Stokes said.

‘The wicket was doing a lot, it was cloudy and it didn’t look like it was going to deteriorate in the last few days. If we find ourselves in that position again, I’ll have to think about it, but, chasing 258, we’ll probably look back as a hitting group and say we weren’t good enough.

England have been good enough over the past year and their transformation has continued in New Zealand with the big game against Australia this summer in the offing.

“This spirit and the way we play now will not change when the pressure really increases within Ashes,” Stokes promised. “I’m very excited about that challenge.”

So it should be. So should all of us. No one here today or following from afar can have failed to be completely paralyzed by this Test and, frankly, all of England’s Tests are playing at the moment.

And that, with the march of franchises and the search for a ‘new’ cricket audience focused on Twenty20 and Hundred, can only be a good thing.