The highs and lows of Bazball

Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Ben Stokes (left) and Brendon McCullum (right) became captain and head coach of the England Test team in the summer of 2022 By Sam Drury BBC Sport journalist Published 1 hour ago The Bazball era is officially over. Captain Ben Stokes called time on his England career during their series defeat by New Zealand in early July, while head coach Brendon McCullum was sacked on Sunday after seven defeats in nine Tests. England have both thrilled and infuriated under the pair with a playing style and approach to the game that has divided fans and pundits alike. No matter what you made of it, it has certainly been memorable and we've picked out some of the standout moments - good and bad - from the McCullum years... Bairstow blitz ignites Bazball, June 2022 Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Jonny Bairstow hit seven sixes and 14 fours in his match-winning knock Taking over a team that had won just one of its previous 17 Tests, McCullum and new captain Ben Stokes made the perfect start with victory over New Zealand at Lord's. But it was the second Test of that series that first showed what this team was going to be about. Set 299 to win in 72 overs on day five at Trent Bridge, England slipped to 93-4, before Jonny Bairstow and Stokes took them to 139-4 at tea and a draw appeared the best they could hope for. Instead, the evening session saw Bairstow produce an astonishing display of hitting , smashing 14 fours and seven sixes as he brought up a 77-ball hundred. That was just one ball slower than Gilbert Jessop's England Test record. Bairstow, who made 136 from 92 balls, fell just before the end but Stokes remained and thumped the winning boundary to take the home side to victory with 22 overs to spare. Record chase stuns India, July 2022 Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Jonny Bairstow's 114 not out followed his 106 in the first innings Less than a month on and England, having wrapped up a 3-0 win over New Zealand, were at it again. Despite a James Anderson five-for and Bairstow's first-innings hundred, the hosts needed 378 to beat India in the rearranged fifth Test of the series started the previous summer. England had never chased such a total before in Tests but started well with a century stand between Zak Crawley and Alex Lees. However, two Jasprit Bumrah wickets and a run out saw 107-0 become 109-3 and that record target looked a long way off. Step forward two of Yorkshire's finest. A magnificent unbroken stand of 269 between Joe Root and Bairstow got England over the line at a canter . Root played a masterful knock to finish 142 not out, while Bairstow ended unbeaten on 114, his second ton of the match, as the pair scored at more than five-an-over to leave Bumrah and co in a daze. A staggering victory that denied India a first Test series win in England since 2007 and showed just what Bazball could achieve at its best. Raid of Rawalpindi, December 2022 Image source, Getty Images Image caption,