What’s better, going down trying to win or playing for a draw? Very rarely do you see a bit of both approaches in the same innings. Early this year at Sydney, India—chasing 407—were in the game till Rishabh Pant (97 off 118 balls) was going hammer and tongs but switched to survival mode after his dismissal, initiating a fascinating spell of batsmanship where Hanuma Vihari and R Ashwin braved physical pain to grind out a draw that kept them alive
What’s better, going down trying to win or playing for a draw? Very rarely do you see a bit of both approaches in the same innings. Early this year at Sydney, India—chasing 407—were in the game till Rishabh Pant (97 off 118 balls) was going hammer and tongs but switched to survival mode after his dismissal, initiating a fascinating spell of batsmanship where Hanuma Vihari and R Ashwin braved physical pain to grind out a draw that kept them alive in the series. Next match at the Gabba, Pant didn’t miss out on a century and India chased down 329 in what was a stupendous advert for Test cricket. The fifth day’s cricket in both Tests was riveting in its own way despite producing contrasting results.
Lord’s on Sunday was a boring affair. But can’t boring equate to effective at times? When New Zealand declared during early lunch more than 20 overs into Day 5, England were set a target of 273 runs in about 75 overs. Since New Zealand weren’t getting a second new ball—
due only after 80 overs—England’s chances of mounting a late assault had been trimmed. England ended on 170/3, prompting a fierce debate if the hosts should have taken a crack.
Widely criticised, England maintained that it wasn’t worth the risk. “Having played on that wicket for a few days, we knew it wasn't going to be as straightforward as it looked,” England captain Joe Root said. “If you look at the run rate throughout the game, it was hard to score above three an over even when the pitch was at its absolute best. We wanted to lay ourselves a foundation, but once we got through the initial phase, it just didn't feel like there was a realistic opportunity for us to win the game. So, it was about using it as an opportunity to be a bit more disciplined as a batting group.”
A lot of the talk on whether England should have tried to chase sparks from the asking rate (3.6), apart from questioning their intent. Run rates, like strike rates, have only statistical value in Tests. Overlooked in the haste to disparage England was the time given to them.
Comparisons keep coming up though in light of some of the famous chases in recent times. The miracle at Gabba comes to mind first. Last year, England defeated Pakistan by three wickets when they wrapped up a 277-run chase in Manchester. Go back another year and we witnessed one of the great Tests of all time, Ben Stokes leading England to a nail-biting one-wicket win with 135 off 219 balls. Apart from Manchester, where England got at least 85 overs, the other two Tests gave more than a day to the chasing team.
There have been a few occasions in the last decade when chasing teams have pulled off scintillating heists, keeping the same run rate in two sessions or more, an almost impossible feat in the best of circumstances. In the 2013 Ashes, Australia drubbed England by eight wickets (231/2 in 51.5 overs @4.45) in the Boxing Day Test. Equally, if not more, captivating was the 2011 Test in Cape Town when South Africa scored 236/2 (RR 4.68) in 50.2 overs against Australia.
Sharjah, one of the smaller Test venues, witnessed one in 2014 when Pakistan motored to 302/5 (RR 5.25) against Sri Lanka. Azhar Ali set up that chase with a 137-ball 103 but you get an idea of the bowling when Misbah-ul-Haq scores 68* off 72 balls. In 2017, New Zealand’s only successful 200-plus chase in the last decade came in Wellington when they milked an insipid Bangladesh bowling for 217/3 in 39.4 overs. That run-rate of 5.47 is the highest ever for a successful 200-plus chase for any team in the last 10 years. Sri Lanka chasing down 197 in 45.4 overs (RR 4.31) against South Africa at Port Elizabeth in early 2019 falls just short of that norm, though it was thrilling.
Here’s the thing though. Chasing even totals only marginally over 200—despite shrinking boundaries, meatier bats and more attacking options provided by T20 leagues—in Tests is still difficult. In the last 10 years, South Africa and New Zealand have achieved it once, Pakistan and England twice, Australia, India and Sri Lanka thrice each and West Indies four times.
Time, and an aggressive middle-order, goes a long way to keep a team in with a chance. England had neither. Without Stokes, Jos Buttler (whose 75 off 101 balls set up the Old Trafford win) and Jonny Bairstow, England worked out that going to Edgbaston on an even keel was better than being under pressure to level the series. “Today was an opportunity to show that we can be a little bit more resilient and harder to get out. The guys fronted up and I think they did it very well,” said Root.
In their frank assessment that chasing 273 was beyond them in the time and overs available to them, England were refreshingly pragmatic that not all Tests can be won. Though it is construed in some quarters as lack of intent, one can’t fault the application and patience shown to bat out for a draw against a gun bowling attack like New Zealand. England passed that test, which gives them a fair chance to win—and not just draw—the series at Edgbaston next week.
New Zealand bowlers couldn’t take all 10 wickets in the 70 overs, but that is a debate for another day.
One Subscription.
Get 360° coverage—from daily headlines
to 100 year archives.
Archives
HT App & Website