ENG vs NZ 2022 | Was just trying to do what Ben Stokes said, confesses Jonny Bairstow
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Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes put on a show at Trent Bridge against New Zealand.
|ICC
After smashing an entertaining 92-ball 136 against New Zealand on Tuesday, England's Jonny Bairstow has confessed he just did in the middle what their captain Ben Stokes asked him to do. Both Stokes and Bairstow chipped in with the bat to help England chase 299 on Day 5 of the second Test match.
On Tuesday, Jonny Bairstow was trending on social media after a brisk knock of 92-ball 136 against New Zealand on Day 5 of England's second Test match, which took place at Trent Bridge. Bairstow's carnage was well supported by Ben Stokes, England's newly-apppointed Test captain, to pull off a target of 299 in 50 overs on the final day of the game. With that, England took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, which is a remarkable achievement by the captain Stokes against the defending world champions.
To pull off the miraculous chase, Stokes too joined hands with Bairstow. The pair added 179 runs for the fifth wicket after England were down to 93/4 in 25.2 overs. The English captain scored 75 off 70 balls, with 10 fours and four sixes, to take his side past the finishing line.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Bairstow revealed the reason behind his aggressive batting display. The star England batter asserted it was Stokes who asked him to bat like that, and he just followed his orders.
"It was just great fun to be out there. Just one of those things, when you get in that kind of mood, you just got to go with it. Ben at the other end said don't even think about it. That's how it went," Bairstow said at the post-match presentation after winning the Player of the Match award.
"We know the power we've got in the middle order. Today was our day, and what a day it's been. We saw it as a one-day game. The pitch was very good, the outfield was very fast. The brand of cricket we're looking to play, days like this are very exciting. If this is happening now, let's see what will happen in the next few months."
The third and the final Test match between the two sides will be played at Headingley on June 23.
