DEREK PRINGLE

County cricketers have always been particular about their batting gloves but the gauntlet thrown down by Brendon McCullum, that they need to be bold and aggressive to be considered for England’s Test team, has seen many adopt a onesize-fits-all approach to batting in the Championship this season.
McCullum, the England Test team’s head coach, made the point last season after his new charges dispatched his old side, New Zealand, three-nil in the early Test series. Jonny Bairstow was the beating heart of those victories, scoring two smash-and-grab hundreds at better than a run-...