Jonny Bairstow stole the show at Trent Bridge by scoring a century off 77 balls in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship match against the reigning champions, the New Zealand cricket team. Chasing 299 runs to win the second match of the series, the England cricket team lost four wickets before crossing the 100-run mark.
Captain Ben Stokes arrived in the middle and formed an excellent fifth-wicket partnership with Jonny Bairstow. The two batters scored 179 runs in quick time and helped the team inch closer to the target. Bairstow scored 136 runs off 92 balls, smacking 14 fours and seven sixes. His knock ensured that the England cricket team had enough overs left to chase the remaining target.
At one moment, it looked like the match was headed towards a draw, but Bairstow’s magnificent performance, where he scored at a strike rate of 147.82 helped the English team cover the gap. Before the start of the play, New Zealand cricket team fast bowler Trent Boult hinted how the England Test coach Brendon McCullum could influence the run-chase. Here’s what he told stuff.co.nz:
“I know their coach relatively well and I don’t think he’ll be shutting up shop. It’s exciting to come here in the morning with all of those results on the table and the boys are very excited for it. There was some hard work done throughout the last couple of days and I think the game is quite nicely poised.”
Fans credit IPL and Brendon McCullum for the Jonny Bairstow show in Nottingham
It was the second-fastest hundred by an England batter in Test cricket and in the last 100 years, it was the fastest one. Here’s how fans on Twitter reacted to it:
IPL contract holder Jonny Bairstow who represents Punjab Kings franchise is currently on 84 from 65 balls, just one shy of 130 strike rate. Crying, shaking, throwing up rn thinking about how IPL is helping the English cricket.
— Heisenberg ☢ (@internetumpire) June 14, 2022
Jonny Bairstow's 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐞 at Trent Bridge⚔️#ENGvNZ pic.twitter.com/EhApGWK3zT
— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) June 14, 2022
Never, ever write off Jonny Bairstow
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) June 14, 2022
IPL helped Bairstow for this ton more than any other thing or change in the management.#ENGvNZ
— Neelabh (@CricNeelabh) June 14, 2022
WHAT A KNOCK!
— ICC (@ICC) June 14, 2022
Jonny Bairstow has turned the game on its head 🔥#WTC23 | #ENGvNZ | https://t.co/xW0JYYwh7o pic.twitter.com/NVUJhSyodc
Stat: Jonny Bairstow breaks Shahid Afridi's record for the second-fastest hundred in fourth innings of a Test match. Afridi got his 100 off 78 balls against West Indies at Bridgetown in 2005. Only England's Gilbert Jessop got it in quicker time (76 balls) back in 1902. #ENGvNZ
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) June 14, 2022
JONNY BAIRSTOW, WOW!
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) June 14, 2022
ENGLAND'S SECOND-FASTEST TEST CENTURY, OFF JUST 77 BALLS 🤯https://t.co/MRt4ceZ94X | #ENGvNZ pic.twitter.com/zvR8p4GBHB
Bairstow giving NZ’s attack the beating of their lives here. Great entertainment.
— Ben (@LongyWTID) June 14, 2022
An innings like this on a gripping Day 5 makes Test cricket even more special. Take a bow, Jonny Bairstow. Phenomenal stuff!#ENGvNZ
— Prajakta (@18prajakta) June 14, 2022
This is extraordinary from Bairstow.
— Kaushik (@CricKaushik_) June 14, 2022
Truly a new Era.