Trevor Bayliss' 'Trevolution' inspired England to stunning victory in South Africa

Julian Finney/Getty Images
Chris Stocks18 January 2016

A year ago England’s series win here would have been hard to believe. The transformation in the team’s fortunes really has been remarkable.

Peter Moores, the coach who oversaw the shambolic first-round exit from the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand last winter, departed only in May following an abandoned one-dayer in Ireland.

Moores was a good man but, results showed, he was hopelessly out of his depth. England were treading water and baffled by the coach’s analytical approach. Team meetings that were more than an hour long went over the vast majority of the players’ heads.

He spoke in cliches and riddles, was obsessed with stats and a man who inspired few. Trevor Bayliss, the plain-speaking Australian who succeeded him, is the real deal. He has led what is being termed a ‘Trevolution’ in remarkably quick time.

It started with last summer’s Ashes-series win against Australia, where the basics of fielding underpinned an astonishing turnaround for England.

That series saw Steven Finn come to the fore once again, taking a five-wicket haul in his first Test back after two years at Edgbaston.

Indeed, Finn’s early return home from this tour with a side strain is the only blemish on what has been a hugely successful tour.

It’s the third one he has departed early in the past three years, following the 2013-14 Ashes, when he was branded “unselectable” by then one-day coach Ashley Giles after losing his action, and the Pakistan series in the UAE late last year, when a stress-injury to his left foot ended his tour.

Parachuted in as a late addition here after proving his fitness playing for Lions in the UAE in December, Finn has bowled well and is liked by Bayliss.

He is a future leader of the attack alongside Stuart Broad and his fitness issues are a worry but let’s not overlook the bigger picture of England’s resurgence under Bayliss.

In June the players were taken on a team-bonding trip to southern Spain. It was Bayliss’ first assignment as coach and, as well as nights out enlivened with quizzes and the players wearing fancy dress, they were relentlessly drilled on fielding for three days.

The results were there for all to see, especially on the first morning of the Fourth Test at Trent Bridge when Stuart Broad took eight wickets that were all caught behind square. Something similar happened here when Broad took another astonishing haul — six for 17 — as England wrapped up this series.

THIRD TEST REPORT: BROAD HEROICS FIRE ENGLAND TO VICTORY
(Julian Finney/Getty Images)

With a 2-0 lead ahead of this week’s final Test in Pretoria the ‘Trevolution’ has gone up a level. The key to England’s stunning win on Saturday — when they took eight wickets to assume complete control of the Test — was a lunchtime rollicking from the usually relaxed and mild-mannered Bayliss. It will go down as one of the great sporting managerial interventions.

“I wouldn’t class it as a kick up the backside,” said Bayliss. “It was more of a reminder I suppose what we needed to do help the bowlers win the game.

“Before lunch and even in the first innings I didn’t think their attitude was quite right in the field. So it was just a bit of reminder that if we want to win this Test now is the time to hunt in a pack.”

Fielding has been Bayliss’s big bugbear since taking over and, aware that it’s a discipline not taken as seriously in England as Australia, it is an area he is still looking for this team to improve.

Seven catches went down in the drawn Second Test in Cape Town. There was no repeat at The Wanderers.

“I’d like to see — in general — our fielding improve,” he says. “That’s not just at this level but at county level as well. There always seems to be a lot of batting and bowling technique work, but I think there needs to be a little more technique work done with fielding as well.”

Big selection calls have also been made, Jonny Bairstow holding on to the keeper’s gloves despite Jos Buttler’s resurgence in the one-day arena. Alex Hales has also been given the nod as opener, a call that has not borne fruit yet.

It won’t be the last of Bayliss’ big decisions. Yet with his golden touch, the majority are certain to come good as this England team move towards the top of the world rankings.

What a difference a year makes.

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