A motivational team talk from Brendon McCullum inspired England to their thrilling chase at Trent Bridge against New Zealand, with Ben Foakes likening the message to a battle cry.
England managed a fourth-innings chase of 279 in the opening Test against the Black Caps at Lord's, with Joe Root posting a majestic unbeaten 115 to guide his team to victory.
More heroics were to follow in Nottingham when England had to chase 299 on day five.
Jonny Bairstow smashed England's second-fastest Test century as Ben Stokes' side plundered in the last session to secure an unassailable 2-0 series lead.
McCullum's coaching methods, which are said to focus on mentality as opposed to technique during the match, have been praised, and Foakes credited his coach's team talk before the final session.
"Baz's team talk at tea – it was like William Wallace!" Foakes said to ESPNcricinfo, referencing the famous Scot who battled in the First War of Scottish Independence and was depicted in the film 'Braveheart'.
"After he was done, everyone was desperate to get out there.
"The traditional Test approach in that situation would be 'see how it goes, see how many wickets we've got left, then if the situation isn't there, do we shut up shop?'
"He was like, 'Nah, we're not doing that. We're winning this game. If we don't, so be it – we've done it the right way. It doesn't matter if we don't win this game.' And it took the pressure off."
Foakes has taken the gloves for England, with new captain Stokes repeatedly expressing his support for who he feels is the best wicket-keeper in the world, and the Surrey star has subsequently delivered.
He has also experienced an upturn in his batting, scoring an unbeaten fourth-innings 32 alongside Root at Lord's before managing 56 and 12 not out at Trent Bridge to see England over the line.
England will look to complete the series sweep against New Zealand at Headingley starting on Thursday, and Foakes says the leadership of Stokes and McCullum has reinvigorated his enjoyment of cricket.
"It has changed the way I look at Test cricket," Foakes added. "With playing for England, there are obviously a lot of pressures, a lot of criticisms and things like that.
"If you think about that too much, it weighs on you. But over the last two weeks, it's clear to see the positives and how amazing playing for England can be.
"Baz and Stokesy, the way they are, promote that. When I think about it, my approach to Test cricket has always just been about endurance, mentally slow for a reason, and meant to be calculated.
"When you play for England, there is another side to it – the entertainment factor. I guess it's similar to the game a year ago [at Lord's, where England declined to chase 273 in 75 overs]: we could have gone for the win, but didn't.
"For pure entertainment value, within the crowd and at home, even if you lose that game at Trent Bridge, you're probably doing more for Test cricket.
"There's a balance in the game and trying to improve the viewership of it as well."
ICC extends partnership with FanCraze to launch Web3 fantasy game
The International Cricket Council (ICC) and FanCraze on Monday announced a multi-year partnership extension marking a significant milestone in the evolution of digital fan engagement with the launch of exciting new products during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
The announcement also detailed the upcoming launch of ICC Crictos SuperTeam, a Web3 fantasy game featuring officially licensed ICC digital video collectibles. With SuperTeam, fans will be able to build fantasy teams using their ICC Crictos and compete in contests to win amazing rewards on a daily basis, week after week proving their cricket nous to the world.
The exciting partnership will build on the success of ICC Crictos over the past two years which has provided opportunities for new and existing fans to engage with men’s and women’s cricket. ICC Crictos transformed the way fans experience the sport, providing them with exclusive digital video collectibles that celebrate the greatest moments in cricket history, from iconic match-winning sixes to unforgettable performances by the world’s best players.
Through unique activations such as gifting special ICC Crictos to fans that attended the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022 and exclusive behind-the-scenes experiences, ICC Crictos have brought supporters closer to the action than ever before. Events like the ICC Quiz Night and ICC Stadium Tours have further enriched the fan experience, offering enthusiasts the chance to meet their heroes and participate in engaging activities that celebrate the spirit of cricket.
ICC Head of Digital, Finn Bradshaw, said: “We are delighted to unveil ICC Crictos SuperTeam and offer cricket fans around the world a new and innovative gameplay experience for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. We are excited to enter a new era of digital engagement, using innovative technology to deepen fan interaction and grow the sport on a global scale. Signing up will give fans the chance to be closer to the game than ever before and be a part of the biggest cricket carnival spectacle ever, from anywhere in the world.”
FanCraze Co-Founder and CEO, Anshum Bhambri, said: “The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is a truly global competition and has been the home to so many iconic moments and players over the last 15+ years. As cricket fans ourselves, the launch of SuperTeam is something we’ve dreamt of since we founded the business.
“It’s a major milestone for us as we pursue our goal to build a compelling global community for cricket fans, and we can’t wait to see fans put together fantasy teams using their ICC Crictos during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. SuperTeam will revolutionize digital sports fandom and will build upon FanCraze’s userbase across 100+ countries.”
Daren Sammy lauds West Indies' dominant 3-0 series win over South Africa
West Indies white-ball coach Daren Sammy hailed his team’s performance after they passed their South Africa test with flying colours, culminating in a dominant eight-wicket victory at Sabina Park on Sunday. This win sealed a clean sweep of the three-match T20 International series, setting a positive tone for their final preparations ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup, which begins on June 1.
The West Indies secured their series victory with a comprehensive performance on Sunday, chasing down South Africa's target of 164 with 6.1 overs to spare. This win followed earlier victories on Thursday, May 23, by 28 runs and on Saturday, May 25, by 16 runs. The series was characterized by consistent team efforts, despite the absence of key players such as Rovman Powell, Nicholas Pooran, Shai Hope, Andre Russell, and Alzarri Joseph.
In the series finale, South Africa posted 163-8 from their 20 overs, with captain Rassie van der Dussen top-scoring with 51 off 36 balls. Debutant Wiann Mulder contributed a solid 36. The West Indies’ bowling attack was led by Player of the Series Gudakesh Motie, who took 2-21, supported by Shamar Joseph’s 2-26 and Obed McCoy’s 3-39.
The West Indies’ chase was spearheaded by an explosive opening partnership of 92 runs in just 6.4 overs between Johnson Charles and interim captain Brandon King. Charles, who was named Player of the Match for his blistering 69 off 26 balls, batted at a strike rate of 265, while King added 44 from 28 balls. Kyle Mayers (36 not out) and Alick Athanaze (6 not out) comfortably saw the hosts over the finish line.
Coach Darren Sammy, who led the West Indies to T20 World Cup victories in 2012 and 2016, praised his team’s all-around performance. "With the players that we had, we executed quite well,” he told Sportsmax.TV. “We were put under pressure in the Power Play in the second game but the way the guys responded and won convincingly; we got tested in the three departments – in the field, with the bat, and the ball – and the way the guys responded was just really good, so I would give them a nine (out of 10).”
Charles expressed satisfaction with his performance after struggling in the first two matches. “It was great. We have been working hard during the camp and in the series. Worked hard on our skills leading up to the World Cup, just enforcing the basics. Tried in the first two games, didn’t work out but came today (Sunday). It’s all about building confidence,” he said.
Stand-in captain Brandon King also shared his delight at leading the team to a commanding series win. “(I was) happy with my own performance,” he remarked. “Would’ve liked to carry my bat through to the end though. We understand each other’s games, playing a few years together. (This was) an important 3-0 win.”
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.
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