"English players and fans successfully landed on earth" - Twitterati roast England and 'BazBall' as hosts get thumped by SA at Lord's
England's 'BazBall' experiment suffered its first major setback as South Africa thumped the hosts by an innings and 12 runs in the first Test of the three-match series at Lord's on Friday, August 19. Ben Stokes and Co. could only muster 149 in their second innings as the likes of Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj helped the visitors script a famous win.
Fans on Twitter trolled the England team and their fans as they felt the 'Bazball' ideology was overhyped. Some of them also hailed the Proteas for showing how Test cricket is supposed to be played.
Here are some of the best reactions:
https://t.co/UdZJNrStIN
๐ค Question: Who gets battered everywhere they go, even when at home?
Answer:_________ [Comment below] ๐
#BharatArmy #ENGvSA #COTI ๐ฎ๐ณ
Because there is no faulty dukes like it was vs NZ and IND and the track was a seaming one. twitter.com/Sport360/statuโฆ
South Africa shows that Bazball doesn't work against world class bowling attack with variety and a sharp captain who sets smart fields. #SAvsENG
SA is playing #serious cricket btw
"Bazball has done wonders in the fourth inns"
SA: There will be no fourth inns. #ENGvSA
Don't worry, BazBall will come good in England's third innings in this Test.
What a win by South Africa - defeating England at Lord's that too by an innings margin. Excellent display by their bowlers to bowl out England at just 165 and 149. https://t.co/WwjquSL8Rn
Let's try 450 next Test Ben, this one, it's come to 314.
SA win by an innings and 12 runs.
SA win by an innings and 12 runs https://t.co/eASTqRtW4i
Barges into team
Takes 5fer and easy W
Walks https://t.co/L2ZmlFXQAv
BouchBall ends the 100% Bazball winning record. https://t.co/zCDc0n84gg
@TheBarmyArmy ๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ https://t.co/1qOFrWGYhx
English players and fans successfully landed on earth.
Anrich Nortje's statement before the first test!
Must say South Africa didn't care even a bit about Bazball
They are now gonna win the test match
#SAvsENG https://t.co/PBPBqEz8iq
Individual brilliances from Root and Bairstow in the summer have blinded England from non performing openers and a one dimensional bowling unit.
A loss might be a blessing in disguise.
#ENGvSA #ENGvsSA
Where was this batting form in the 4th innings of the 5th test against India, @englandcricket?
Pengland's back ๐คฉ
England's batting faltered once again on Day 3
South Africa stretched their overnight score to 326, taking a healthy lead of 161 runs on Day 3 of the Test. Many expected England to come out all guns blazing like they did in the second innings of their Tests against New Zealand and India earlier this summer.
However, it wasn't to be as the South African bowlers' discipline was rewarded and the hosts' batting line-up crumbled once again. Dean Elgar probably knew that England would come hard at the pacers and hence, brought left-arm spinner Maharaj pretty early into the attack.
The move worked as he dismissed Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope. Lungi Ngidi then struck a hammer blow by sending back the talismanic Joe Root early on.
However, the match-clinching spell came from Nortje, as the speedster claimed the wickets of Jonny Bairstow, Alex Lees and Ben Foakes in the space of just nine deliveries. All hopes of an English counter-attack were done and dusted and it was all about avoiding an innings defeat from thereon.
Stuart Broad and Ben Stokes did build a good partnership and it seemed like the Proteas will need to bat again. But Marco Jansen cleaned up the tail and helped South Africa consolidate their position at the top of the World Test Championship points table.
It will be interesting to see how Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum react to the defeat, with the second Test due to start on August 25 at Old Trafford.