Genius or madness? England could pay the ultimate price for its bold declaration on day one of the first Ashes test

This is a test series like no other. On paper, Ben Stokes’ declaration failed but don’t underestimate the force of a message that says ‘we are coming at you’, writes Crash Craddock.

England’s wacky-weird-wonderful declaration late on day one in the first Ashes test may have done Australia a short-term favour but it also spotlighted the urgency of taming the Bazball beast.

With Joe Root in full flow on 118, England declared at 8-393 in a move no team in the game’s lengthy history would have made in the same conditions.

In a time-honoured sport like cricket, where inner comfort is gained by following traditional, well-groove patterns, kooky plays are unnerving.

On paper, Ben Stokes’ declaration failed because Australia was 0-14 at stumps and licking its lips at the prospect of batting on a docile deck.

England could pay for being so bold.

But don’t underestimate the force of a message that says “we are coming at you hard ... from head-on and occasionally left field”.

David Warner got through a tricky four over session. Picture: Getty Images

This is a series which will be played in the head as much as the scorebook.

Bazball is a restless, unpredictable, unsettling beast which buzzes around your head like a bee in a forest which can be swatted away only to return with equal annoyance from a different angle.

To overcome it – and they certainly have the cattle to do it – Australia must accept the mentally it will have to visit quirky places no Australian side has ever been.

Such as having your openers quietly sitting on their heels in the field in the last hour, comforted by the thought they probably won’t be required that night, when a rival batsman with 118 beside his name mysteriously jogs off for the day and figuratively floats the sobering message “time for you lads to have a bat – and Dave have you met Stuart Broad?’’

For pretty much all of the time since their first meeting in a Test in 1877, Australia has been seen as the more hairy-chested, tub-thumping, cavalier team than its ancient rival.

To see a seismic change of role where England whistles along at nigh five runs an over against an attack which has boundary sweepers on the fence when the ball was still strawberry red was quite an adjustment.

If Australia wins this first Test it would be a huge victory because it would make conventional English fans question their side’s derring do.

Why would you declare with Root not out? Why do batsmen get stumped by three metres?

If England falls from the high wire – particularly as it hasn’t lost the Ashes in England since 2001 – the fans will feel as let down as cinema goers watching an action movie where the hero rocks his socks off for an hour or two then perishes in the end.

Joe Root was at his blistering best on day one of the Ashes. Picture: Getty Images

But if England wins at Edgbaston, this juggernaut could steam along with the force of a freight train.

It’s clear Australia is not facing an England team so much as the entire nation. In Bazball, moves are called for to whip up the crowd.

It’s not hard to imagine that before Birmingham-born Moeen Ali stepped out at No.8 in front of his home ground in his first Test for two years he would have been told “get them going … just smack one early’’ which he duly did.

This folks, is a Test series like no other. England will need extreme courage to stay on the high wire. Australia will need bucket loads of it to hold its nerve, hang on to the rhythms of the game, then strike back at the appropriate time.

It could be one of the great Test series.