The Bazball is all about entertainment. The first Ashes 2023 Test has been filled with entertainment with Ben Stokes and his decision-making making headlines almost every session.
The latest of his innovative choices was a never-seen-before field placement to the well-set Usman Khawaja on the morning of Day 3. Such was the field placement that it even confused and outfoxed the settled Khawaja who was batting on 141 and was looking for an even bigger score.
For the pace bowler Ollie Robinson bowling to Khawaja from around the wicket angle, Ben Stokes set an extraordinary field which had six men in a quarter circle from square leg to cover to perhaps stop Khawaja from taking a single, or inviting him to break his mental zen and do something unorthodox. That field suggested a length delivery.
That plan from Ben Stokes worked to the tee as Khawaja jumped out of his crease and looked to play on the offside squarer, but got a terrific full ball from Ollie Robinson that knocked out the off-stump. Robinson was more elated and pumped up than anyone and celebrated the dismissal animatedly, even hurling out a couple of expletives toward Khawaja.
Here, check out the field setting from Ben Stokes for Usman Khawaja that has got everyone stunned:
This funky field placement surprised everyone and had all’s attention hooked. Ben Stokes and his Bazball mindset has made Test cricket more attractive, and doing it in a high-profile series like Ashes has earned him a lot of praise from all quarters.
You can check out the dismissal here:
Australia suffered a collapse on Day 3 as they went from 338/5 to 386 all-out, allowing England to take a slender lead of 7 runs. In reply, England, in their second innings, didn’t get off to a desired start and lost two wickets for 28 runs before rain interrupted play and didn’t relent for the entire day. 57 overs were lost in the day due to rain, but the match is tantalisingly poised with Ben Stokes and England aiming for a win and two days left in the game.
