Jonny Bairstow Smashes Consecutive Centuries: The Brendon McCullum–Ben Stokes era is upon us. And Jonny Bairstow’s thunderous centuries in the ongoing series versus New Zealand are the apt personification of it.
Bairstow had smashed one of the memorable hundreds – 136 off 92 balls – in one of the greatest England Test run-chases – 299 in 50 overs – in the second Test at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, where he notched up his three-figure score on his 77th delivery.
Then in the third Test, at Headingley, Leeds, it was another highly entertaining innings from the local boy Bairstow – raising his century off the 95th delivery he faced. This time, England weren’t looking for a record chase; instead, they were reeling in at a difficult situation out of which Bairstow and debutant seam-bowling all-rounder Jamie Overton pulled them out of and put them ahead of New Zealand’s total of 329.
England were in dire trouble – looking like themselves prior to this series – at 55/6 when they lost their skipper Ben Stokes to one of those highly awed heaves; it looks great when it comes off, unnecessary when it doesn’t.
Jonny Bairstow is second-highest Test scorer in 2022
From 55/6, Bairstow and Overton absolutely hammered the Kiwi bowlers in an exhibition of a stunning counter-attack from the two right-handers and propelled the side to 351 at the 61-over mark when Bairstow was dismissed. Their partnership yielded 241 runs off 274 balls.
Bairstow went at above a run an over, whacking 24 fours in his sizzling 162-run knock in 157 deliveries; Overton missed his century on debut by just three runs on the morning of Day 3.
Jonny Bairstow has been in a marvellous touch since his return to the Test side last winter in the Ashes in Australia. He registered tons in Sydney, in Antigua and now in Nottingham and Leeds.
Since the start of 2022, the Sydney Test, Bairstow is the second-highest scorer in Tests this year, so far, even more than Joe Root and only behind Usman Khawaja; Bairstow’s strike rate of 72 during this period is unmatchable.
Twitter erupted with joy and awe at Jonny Bairstow’s superlative form and his latest century.
Here are some of the best reactions:
Highest attacking shot percentage for England Test centuries (2006 onwards):
Jonny Bairstow – 66%, Trent Bridge 2022
Jonny Bairstow – 62%, Headingley 2022
Kevin Pietersen – 57%, Trinidad 2009
Matt Prior – 57%, Lord’s 2011#ENGvNZ— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) June 24, 2022
Jonny Bairstow with one the best Test tons of the century so far. Very special. #ENGvNZ pic.twitter.com/DzS7ws4KTt
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) June 24, 2022
England: 55/6(11.5) to 257/6(46.4) in a Test match – remarkable from Bairstow and Overton.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 24, 2022
England batters with multiple Test hundreds off fewer than 100 balls:
Lord Ian Botham
Jonny Bairstow#ENGvNZ— Ben Gardner (@Ben_Wisden) June 24, 2022
Jonny Bairstow celebrations are the best of any cricketer. Well batted lad. #ENGvNZ
— kεz (@_kezx) June 24, 2022
This feels nuts, but Jonny Bairstow has made two of England’s great Test hundreds in the space of 10 days, when a load of people wanted him dropped (six months into a year where he already had two hundreds). Mad.
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) June 24, 2022
77 ball hundred in the 2nd Test and 95 ball hundred in the 3rd Test – Bairstow “The Beast”.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 24, 2022
I was one of those idiots that thought England should drop Bairstow… I’m sorry Jonny! #bbccricket @bbctms
— George Drake (@George_DrakeZ) June 24, 2022
Update to this:
In Jonny Bairstow’s *four* Test hundreds this year, he’s come in at 36-4, 48-4, 56-3 (chasing 299), and 21-3 (soon to be 55-6). Decent times to stand up. https://t.co/Hv9kGuqaDz
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) June 24, 2022
Since returning to the Test side on Boxing Day, Jonny Bairstow is averaging over 50 – the most of any England player barring Saqib Mahmood. #ENGvNZ
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) June 24, 2022
Sizzling form Jonny B
Has changed his Test career from the Ashes last year…
Test cricket needs such batsmen.. #engvnz— Jatin Khandelwal (@jr_khandelwal) June 24, 2022
Bairstow is most certainly back to his best! So good
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) June 24, 2022
if you’d told me at 55/6 that bairstow and overton would end up putting on 200 and england would be almost level by stumps, i would have said ‘yeah, sounds about right’
— Jonathan Liew (@jonathanliew) June 24, 2022
