ENG vs WI | Twitter cheers as Duckett's start epitomizes Bazball with double-hattrick of boundaries
The tenets of Test cricket have been consistently challenged like never before by the English team under the leadership of Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes. This change in approach culminated in Ben Duckett getting off the mark with four straight boundaries at Trent Bridge against West Indies.
In what seemed like tailor-made conditions for batting, Kraigg Brathwaite won the toss in Nottingham and inexplicably put England in to bat first under the bright sun. The West Indian skipper's decision felt justified immediately after as Zak Crawley nicked off for a three-ball duck against Alzarri Joseph. However, the early hope soon evaporated into thin air, courtesy of some brilliant boundary-hitting by the other opener Ben Duckett.
The diminutive southpaw first took strike to begin the second over and was greeted by an ominous wide from Jayden Seales, setting the tone for what's to follow. The Windies quick delivered a juicy half-volley as his maiden legitimate ball and was promptly drilled through the covers with an exquisite drive from Duckett. Seales responded by pulling his length back but continued to offer width, and Duckett latched onto the half-tracker with a crackling cut-through point. Under pressure, Seales completely switched around his game plan by going straight, only to veer onto Duckett's pads and be subject to another wristy flick for four. A repeat of ball one brought the loop of boundaries to a cyclical end as Duckett's score read an unfathomable 16 off four with Seales completely distraught.
At the time of writing, Duckett had already raced to 40 off 24 deliveries while England brought up the fastest team 50 in Test history in just 4.2 overs, sending Twitterati into a frenzy.
He thought it's powerplay time
Back-to-back-to-back-to-back boundaries 😍
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 18, 2024
🔥 @BenDuckett1 pic.twitter.com/9IqzPtdwra
What a start!
— Gill Bill (@bill_gill76078) July 18, 2024
True
Ben Duckett's batting like a man with somewhere he needs to be
— Ben Gardner (@Ben_Wisden) July 18, 2024
Smash
Ben Duckett at Trent Bridge this morning.#ENGvWI pic.twitter.com/niYAFJ994u
— Debbie (@Deborah_Deborah) July 18, 2024
Fight back
England hit back after early loss of Crawley with 19 runs in 2nd over of 2nd Test as fellow opener Ben Duckett hits 4x4 in successive balls off Jayden Seales. Lively start here @TrentBridge #ENGvWI
— Julian Guyer (@stGuyer) July 18, 2024
Duckett opted to go bang bang
In a test match 🤣🤣
— cerebral assasin (@nonstatewarrior) July 18, 2024
Look at ben Duckett 18 off 6 balls😂
England ❤️ 🏴 #engvswi pic.twitter.com/m7mOkz5P9J
Absolutely
Ben Duckett is destroying test cricket. #EngvsWI
— Aditya (@Aditya82313733) July 18, 2024
Fast fast
It’s the 2nd over of the test match and Ben Duckett looks like he’s in a hurry. Jayden Searles might need a rest after his first over. #ENGvWI
— Rowan (@StuffedShoulder) July 18, 2024
Only 400
Ben Duckett with a 400 s/r this morning after Crawley went for 0 #MyOpeners 🤌 pic.twitter.com/XMdEuTTLl6
— Will Comish (@WillComish) July 18, 2024
True
When playing well, Ben Duckett is one of the most entertaining batters out there. 👏
— CarefreeMF (@CarefreeMF) July 18, 2024
Just the 2nd over
4 4 4 4
— Is Jimmy Bowling? (@cricketyme) July 18, 2024
Ben Duckett seeing them well. We're just in the second over
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