England arrive at judgement day for Bazball
In one sense, this is an ending.
The three-match series in New Zealand, starting in Christchurch on Thursday (22:00 GMT, Wednesday) is the final act of a 17-Test 2024 for England. No England team has played more in a single year.
On the other hand, this is a beginning. Contests against the Kiwis, India and Australia, the three best teams in the world, are to come over the next 14 months.
England have the consistency of lumpy mashed potato.
So far this year they have won seven and lost seven.There are mitigating factors: unfamiliar conditions in Asia, an injured captain and a relentless grind from Hyderabad that will end in Hamilton. Despite the mitigation it is tough to argue convincingly that England are a better team than the one that travelled to India in January.
A longer run of inconsistency can be traced back to their previous tour of New Zealand in the spring of 2023. After victory in the first Test in Mount Manganui, England's record under Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum was 10 wins from 11 matches.
Starting with the second Test, an all time classic one-run defeat in Wellington, the record becomes 10 wins, 10 defeats and one wet draw. The ups and downs span, or are possibly because of, a regeneration of the team. In the XI that will play in the first Test in Christchurch, just six survive from Wellington.
It is barely a month since England were routed in Rawalpindi to lose 2-1 in Pakistan, but they appear refreshed - starting with the captain.
Stokes admitted to being weighed down in Pakistan by efforts to return from a hamstring problem, then when he was fit he received the nightmare news his house had been burgled with his wife and children inside. The mental toll manifested itself in his performances and captaincy.
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