ENG vs NZ: 'He Has An Impact Already'- England Pacer Stuart Broad Praises Head Coach Brendon McCullum

After a five-wicket victory against New Zealand in the second Test of the three-match series, England bowler Stuart Broad praised his new head coach, Brendon McCullum, and claimed he had already had an “effect” on the squad.

With the bat, England’s Jonny Bairstow and skipper Ben Stokes shone, guiding their team to a five-wicket victory in the second Test against New Zealand on Tuesday, clinching the three-match series. After being named head coach of England’s men’s squad in May 2022, it was McCullum’s first job. 

Brendon McCullum Brings Attention To Little Things: Stuart Broad

 “There’s no doubt Baz (McCullum) has had an impact already. He was absolutely buzzing that we got 380 on day three. It didn’t matter how many wickets, it was the run rate. How good is that? 380 in a day, wellbatted lads.

It’s not just praising guys who get a hundred, it’s tiny little things, bits of fielding, and momentum changes in the game. He will bring attention to that,” said Broad as reported by ESPNcricinfo. 

“He looks like a guy who has a cricket brain that is working all the time. He is thinking about how we can change the game. That doesn’t mean he’s saying ‘what about this or that’ every minute.

I feel like he’s got an energy of not letting the game sit, where can we manoeuvre it to,” he added.

Brendon McCullum’s Plan Was To Attack The Danger: Stuart Broad

McCullum’s aim, according to the pacer, was to “attack the danger,” which motivated the players to give it their all and strive for the win. 

“Baz’s team talk was very much ‘let’s attack the danger, let’s run towards the danger’ and every part of your mind is going for this win. Whoever is to come, the changing room has full belief that you can do your job to get the win.

So it was never really a case of, if we lose one we might shut up shop. It was always we’re going to win. And if it doesn’t work, don’t worry about it, but we’re going to go for the win,” said Broad.  

“But I didn’t quite expect to see what I saw from Jonny. It was the most outrageous hour I’ve seen in Test cricket from a partnership. Obviously, Headingley had incredible nerves. I felt sick watching that tight thing with Leach and Stokesy. But that was just exhilarating, astonishing.

Trent Bridge giving out free tickets, I’m sure there were people in this ground who have never watched Test cricket before. How inspiring is that?” he added.  

England Stuns New Zealand

The second Test was a back-and-forth battle between the Kiwis and England. While both teams’ first innings scores of 500 or more suggested the match may conclude in a tie, New Zealand set a daunting goal of 299, which England took down with five wickets and more than 20 overs to spare. 

England’s chase for 299 was off to a bad start as opener Zak Crawley was dismissed for a duck at the score of 12. Following a 41-run partnership between Ollie Pope and Alex Lees, the former lost his wicket to pacer Matt Henry for 18 runs after being caught by wicketkeeper Tom Blundell.

Root, the star of the previous innings, was only able to score three runs. Lees and Bairstow tried to put up a fight before the former was removed by Southee for 44, reducing England to 93/4. 

Bairstow and skipper Ben Stokes seized command of the game after that. They crushed Kiwi bowlers all over the place. Bairstow was on another level entirely, reaching his century in 77 balls and setting a new record for the quickest century in the game’s fourth innings.

Trent Boult interrupted the 179-run partnership between the two batsmen, dismissing Bairstow for an entertaining 136 off 92 balls, including 14 fours and seven sixes, when he was caught by Blundell. 

Stokes, on the other hand, continued to bat and won the game for his team, hitting 75 off 70 balls with 10 fours and four sixes. Ben Foakes, the wicketkeeper-batsman, remained undefeated at 12 wickets. Trent Boult, who took 3/94, was the Kiwis’ best bowler. Southee and Henry both claimed a wicket. 

Also Read: ENG vs NZ: England Are ‘To Be Feared’ As Michael Vaughan Compares Ben Stokes To Great Shane Warne