England have moved the needle in unprecedented fashion in a whirlwind past year but how a buccaneering approach would fare against a relentless Australia was the big talking point amid all the Ashes hype.
The debate will linger, for while England landed telling blows and left Australia reeling at times, the world Test champions kept dragging the hosts back on an a fluctuating opening day of the LV= Insurance series.
What is undeniable is how compelling this England team are under head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes, who promised supporters entertainment in these five eagerly-anticipated Tests.
They delivered that in abundance at Edgbaston.
The sold-out crowd lapped up Zak Crawley drilling Pat Cummins’ first ball of the series for four, marvelled at Joe Root’s enduring class as he compiled a majestic 118 not out while the vocal Hollies Stand delighted in serenading Nathan Lyon about being an inferior Moeen Ali – or words to that effect.
Just two maidens were bowled in England’s 393 for eight declared, where none of Australia’s bowlers offered any kind of containment as all of them leaked upwards of four an over.
Scott Boland experienced his first tough day at the office. Having arrived in the midlands with a bowling average in the mid-teens after nine Tests, he leaked an eye-watering 86 runs in 14 overs here.
This was not ‘Bazball’ at its most extreme, though, with England and Root in particular dashing between the wickets after Australia curiously spread the field – there was a deep point in the first over while boundary riders piled up in an ill-fated attempt to stifle the home side’s run-rate.
The tourists’ charitable fielding – they also dropped a couple of chances and failed to appeal when Crawley nicked off on 40 – led a “shocked” Eoin Morgan to remark on Sky Sports commentary: “Australia have been the first to blink.”
However, just as England looked to properly cut loose, they were frequently pegged back. Crawley may have temporarily silenced his doubters with 61 but his dismissal on the stroke of lunch meant Australia had three wickets in the first session – having been asked to bowl first on a surface with few demons.
A position of 175 for three became 176 for five following Harry Brook’s bizarre dismissal and Ben Stokes’ misguided waft but Root and Jonny Bairstow changed the tone with a 121-run stand – their 11th century partnership – in just 140 balls.
Bairstow picked up from where he left off last summer in his first international innings since his horrific leg break with a dashing run-a-ball 78 before he then Moeen were stumped attempting to take down Lyon.
Australia’s chief spinner will point out he took four wickets but he was also alarmingly expensive, clattered for sixes by Root, who also audaciously reverse ramped Boland and Cummins in a show of bravado.
Just as England seemed poised to emulate the class of 2005 in racking up in excess of 400 in a day at this venue, Stokes threw a ‘Bazball’ curve ball for a chance to have a crack at Australia’s openers.
The declaration came as a surprise but the decision was rooted in logic given David Warner’s struggles against Stuart Broad. There was no reward as Australia closed on 14 for none but the four overs were a marvellous spectacle as a cacophony of noise greeted Broad opening the bowling to his adversary.
And perhaps this is the point. None of the 25,000 fans who turned up on Friday can claim to have been short-changed in an era where the supremacy of Test cricket is being challenged by the proliferation of domestic T20 franchise leagues.
England may yet rue not landing a knockout punch to Australia on a flat pitch, where Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith could really make hay against the one-paced fast bowling line-up of Broad, James Anderson, Ollie Robinson and Stokes.
But winning is not the only source of enjoyment and if Test cricket is to thrive in the years ahead then bottling what transpired over 82 gripping overs in Birmingham might be just the tonic.
West Indies complete 3-0 series win over South Africa
West Indies completed a perfect 3-0 T20I series with an eight-wicket victory over South Africa on Sunday to boost morale ahead of the approaching World Cup.
Brandon King’s side had already secured an unassailable lead after a 16-run victory in Kingston on Saturday but ensured they finished on a high in their final game.
South Africa were limited to just 163 runs, with Rassie van der Dussen contributing 51 off 31 balls, as they struggled against an inspired bowling performance led by Obed McCoy (3-39) and Gudakesh Motie (2-21).
With the ball, South Africa could not limit West Indies’ threat as Johnson Charles plundered a quick 69 off 26, while captain Brandon King added 44.
Kyle Mayers’ 36 not out saw West Indies over the line with a little help from Alick Athanaze to reach 165-2 with 37 balls remaining.
Data Debrief: Clean sweep
Charles hit West Indies' third-fastest T20 fifty, reaching his half-century after just 20 balls - in total, he hit nine fours and three boundaries before being caught.
Having won only one of their previous four men's T20Is against South Africa at home (L3) prior to this series, West Indies have now won each of the last three.
'SRH were outplayed', Cummins concedes after IPL final defeat
Pat Cummins conceded Sunrisers Hyderabad "were outplayed" in their Indian Premier League final defeat by Kolkata Knight Riders.
KKR enjoyed a dominant eight-wicket victory in Chennai - just as they did in the first qualifier on Tuesday - as SRH were bowled out for 113.
It was the lowest run total registered in an IPL final - SRH's third as they squandered the opportunity to land a second title after first lifting the trophy in 2016.
KKR were inspired with Mitchell Starc (2-14) and Andre Russell (3-19) preventing their opponents from establishing any momentum, before chasing down their total with relative ease.
Cummins, who top-scored with 24 off 19 balls, was disappointed to come out on the losing side, but praised his team-mates' efforts throughout the campaign.
"I thought they bowled fantastically. We did not have enough on the board," the SRH skipper said. "We were outplayed tonight. They gave nothing away, just like the last game in Ahmedabad.
"It was a tricky track to figure out. [It] didn't feel like a 200-plus wicket; 160 would have given us a chance.
"The style of our play, particularly with the bat, scoring 250 three times is a good feat. So, it was a great season.
"I had not worked with many of the guys before, but it was great working with them. A great squad and the staff were amazing. [I've] had a great time."
Russell left with 'no words' after winning IPL title
Kolkata Knight Riders' Andre Russell says he has "no words" to describe the feeling of winning the Indian Premier League title.
KKR dominated the final, beating Sunrisers Hyderabad by eight wickets after stifling them with an excellent bowling display in the first innings.
Russell took three wickets as SRH were limited to just 113 runs before KKR surged to the win with 57 balls remaining.
Asked how he was feeling after such a strong performance, Russell told reporters: "No words to explain right now.
"It means so much with all the fans that have been supporting us throughout the season. We are the players who go game after game and make sure that we get the job done. And it's the first time we're actually celebrating our victory and I think it's the right moment.
"I'm happy that all of us, we are very disciplined and want the same goal. This franchise has done so much for me, with the fitness and everything. This is a big gift from all of us to them, so I'm happy."
To Star Sports, he added: "I'm kind of lost for words, emotions is all over. It's my first final for KKR and to get three wickets as well, it means a lot to me, and all the bowlers did their job.
"I just mentioned to [Mitchell Starc], I said, 'Hey, big man, you saved the best for last,' and I'm happy with that because he started on the rough side and I kept feeling that he's still a world-class bowler, he doesn't take a few bad games to decide the destiny."
Nitish Rana quickly turned the focus to Gautam Gambhir's work in leading KKR to the title, saying: "When Gautam Gambhir was signed as our mentor, I had congratulated him on WhatsApp.
"I wrote a long message to him, and he thanked me, but he also said he'll be the happiest when we'll lift the trophy at the podium. Today is that day and I'll remember that message forever."
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