When you are watching a Test match where a team plays with the intent to play a 5-day match the way it should be played and give it more importance - no matter how much the cash-hungry blokes bark around them, they tend to dish out something captivating and intensifying which instills the motto of a vibes-driven play throughout the days.
Brendon McCullum sounded confident despite the defeat in the first Test and no matter what, he would stick to the strategy and allow his men to play with more freedom and go for the kill and when you notice that the opposition decided to play according to your strength, you can just let yourself relax and watch the show.
Surprise choice by Elgar, England cash in
I am not sure what made Dean Elgar think of choosing to bat first on a juicy deck, but still, he followed his gut feeling, perhaps, yes, perhaps!
The ball was shining like a fresh apple as if brought from the orchard and James Anderson and Ollie Robinson could not but let the apple move around on the juicy deck - really, the batters of the visiting team could not find an answer to the questions asked by Anderson and Broad.
Despite his key contributions to the Lord's win, Erwee was never allowed to settle as Anderson and Robinson hounded him in a probing new-ball pairing, and after playing and missing relentlessly in an unconvincing 12-ball stay, Anderson found his inside edge to carve an opening in the fifth over of the day.
This was the first time since the Cape Town Test of 2009-10 that he and Anderson had not shared the new ball when playing together.
After taking 16 balls to get off the mark, Elgar had been limited to a solitary punched boundary through long-off when after an hour, Stuart Broad entered the attack - hit a good length outside off with a hint of away movement. Jonny Bairstow at third slip stooped low to gather, and South Africa's captain was gone for 12. Then he cut short the stay of Keegan Peterson - courtesy of a stiffer bounce from the good length that kissed Peterson's edge.
Ben Stokes then showed how hungry he was with the ball as he induced an error with a ranked long-hop against Aiden Markram. Rassie van der Dussen then followed and after the break, Anderson struck gold with two in two deliveries, and then Broad had his third. The tail of South Africa but it was not enough to salvage something significant.
Stokes and Foakes show
It had to be Stokes at the center of everything.
After a brilliant display with the ball on Day 1, he revived the English hopes with the bat.
His magnificent innings of 103 from 163 balls - his 12th Test century, and his first since the tour of the West Indies in March - came in the midst of a game-seizing stand of 173 for the sixth wicket with Ben Foakes, who went on to top-score with an unbeaten 113, his second England hundred after a memorable debut against Sri Lanka in 2018.
In the early part of the partnership, it was all about the basics - Stokes and Foakes had ticked along at a very similar tempo, but whereas Stokes saw the chance to put his foot down after reaching his half-century, Foakes recognized his role as the sheet-anchor.
Twin hundreds not only entertained the crowd and viewers but it had taken the game away from the visitors.
South Africa's wrong choice
England were 147 for 5 at one point and guess what, Elgar and South Africa's choice to include the second spinner Simon Harmer in place of the left-arm pace of Marco Jansen, thinking that the Manchester track would turn, later on, backfired and South Africa lacked the options to break the stand between Stokes and Foakes.
South Africa done and dusted
Anderson, never gets old, does he?
He was bowling from the Anderson end and let the ball do all the talking - it jagged back in. Moved away. Bounced stiffly and then nipped back in like a rocket to send the stumps of Elgar cartwheeling. Wickets kept falling until Van der Dussen and Petersen stitched a partnership of 87 for the fourth wicket in 42.2 overs to essay a turnaround.
Stokes ended the partnership and then came England's second new ball, and Anderson and Robinson polished off the other batters to bag an innings victory.
The takeaways
England have proven effective with the ball this summer when they are bowling first. They immediately put the opposition on the back foot with all the crafts they have under their belt and exploit the condition better. Most importantly, their ability to take wickets in the crucial juncture of a partnership has been one of the key features - the length tends to vary from short t back and then fuller. And, of course, with the Bazball around, you would not want them to bat second, which has enriched them this summer.
Thank You
Faisal Caesar
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