'England’s Test Find of the Year for me'- Michael Vaughan on Rory Burns after his century against New Zealand

England Test team is currently featuring in a two-match series against New Zealand. The series is not a part of the ongoing ICC Test championship but it still bores a lot of contexts- especially for the Three Lions. Joe Root’s men were shellacked by an innings and 65 runs in the first Test at the Bay Oval where the lack of an X-factor in their bowling and their batsmen’s inability to notch up big totals was once again exposed to the hilt.

Coming into the second Test match, England needed the likes of their skipper Joe Root, Rory Burns, Joe Denly and others to step-up, and bat big, something which the New Zealand batsman did really well in the first Test. And, Rory Burns and skipper Joe Root did just that. The duo racked up three-digit figures for themselves to lead the visitors on the third day. This was Burns second hundred of the calendar year.

The left-handed opener has been a real find for England in Test cricket this year. In 11 Tests, the opener has racked up 731 runs at an average of 34.8 which includes two centuries and four half-centuries. And, Michael Vaughan feels that the success of Rory Burns is a lesson to all the kids and budding cricketers that one can survive with an unorthodox technique if one has the grit and determination to be successful at the highest level.

The former English captain tweeted, “Rory Burns Is a lesson to all kids … It’s not always about looking text book … Play to your strengths and work it out yourself … England’s Test Find of the Year for me … #NZvENG”

Rory Burns Is a lesson to all kids … It’s not always about looking text book … Play to your strengths and work it out yourself … England’s Test Find of the Year for me … #NZvENG

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) December 1, 2019

Stuart Broad had called on for English batsmen to set-up the game

Incidentally, at the end of the second day, England’s premier fast bowler Stuart Broad had asked his batsmen to ‘bat once and bat big’ in order to set-up the game on day o5.

“We know we’ve got to go and bat 150 overs here to set up the game on day five,” Broad said. “Our opportunity is there. There’s not a lot happening in the pitch, there’s not a lot of scoreboard pressure. There’s a chance for a couple of people to go and get hundreds. Someone like Rory Burns is our key batsman because he’s a player that has his areas that he scores in.”

If he can stay in that bubble and not chase balls outside off stump, he’s someone who could go and get 200. We need someone to go and get a big hundred for us to win this game and we’ve got the players to do it. If a batsman really applies himself on these pitches and doesn’t play loose shots and wants to just score in their area, they can be a real handful.” Broad was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.

Apart from Burns, England captain Joe Root announced his comeback to form as the Yorkshireman scored his 17th Test ton and ensured he stayed unbeaten at stumps.