England v New Zealand: 'Bazball' promises to be a thrilling ride for England fans

Strap yourself in, England are playing Bazball.

The two weeks that coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes have been in charge of the Test team have breathed life into English cricket.

The 17,000 that gobbled up the free tickets had the feel-good factor even before the fifth day of the second Test against New Zealand began.

What that 17,000 didn't know is they were more likely to catch the ball than any of the New Zealand fielders.

On their own, the numbers of England's five-wicket win are staggering.

A chase of 299 completed in 50 overs - England's fifth-highest and fastest of all-time. Then there is the most boundaries ever hit in a Test and the second-highest number of runs scored in a Test in England.

Jonny Bairstow, a one-man Black Cap wrecking ball. A 77-ball hundred, almost beating a 120-year record for England's fastest Test ton. In the 43 balls he faced between tea and when he got out, Bairstow thrashed 93 runs, with 10 fours and seven sixes. He should have been arrested for abusing the ball.

But this glorious, sun-kissed afternoon in Nottingham wasn't just about statistics, it was about falling back in love with an England Test team that have been hard to even like.

To go back just over a year, against the same opponents at Lord's, England declined a final-day target of 273 in 75 overs.

Yes, the conditions were different to the batting utopia of Trent Bridge and it was an inexperienced England team, but it was also free-hit of a match, not part of the World Test Championship.

Now, knowing that a bore draw would ensure they couldn't lose the series, England committed to the chase as if their lives depended on it.

"I'll say it simply. We were either winning this game or losing it," said Stokes.

"The message was run into the fear of where the game was, rather than stand still or back away from it."

McCullum - nicknamed 'Baz' - told us it was coming, too. When he arrived at Lord's with his jeans rolled up and bare ankles showing, he said: "Test cricket needs England to be strong, competitive and playing a watchable style of cricket. If not, it is in big trouble.

"I think Test cricket has been on a slightly downward path and the only people who can change that really are England."

As the New Zealander sat on the Trent Bridge balcony, watching from behind the kind of sunglasses none of his predecessors could have pulled off, England turned his words into actions.

In England's first innings, Stokes charged at the ball like the second coming of McCullum, the man who still holds the record for the fastest hundred in Test cricket. Joe Root, the most complete batter England have ever produced, reverse-scooped the second ball he faced on day four for six.

In the field, when England struggled to make things happen, they got funky. Top of off stump? Not a chance. The middle of the pitch took a pounding and, somehow, New Zealand fell for it.

Players that have been backed have delivered. Eyebrows were raised when Ollie Pope was asked to bat at number three for the first time in his first-class career. Stokes said he wanted Pope in his team, regardless of the batting position and he responded with a hundred here.

Ben Foakes may have come under pressure from Jos Buttler's form at the IPL, only for Stokes to say he plays because he is the "best wicketkeeper in the world".

Foakes has been faultless with the gloves and was in the middle batting for the conclusion of both of England's wins.

Change hasn't just come on the field, either. McCullum is looking to streamline England's massive army of backroom staff and access to the dressing room is only granted to those with a good reason to be there.

McCullum may stop to think that key moments of fortune have gone England's way. They were a Colin de Grandhomme no-ball away from losing the first Test at Lord's, and all of Alex Lees, Pope and Root benefited from crucial drops at Trent Bridge. You make your own luck.

There are still problems to solve. Zak Crawley has developed the habit of edging pretty much any ball that is bowled to him and spinner Jack Leach neither held an end, nor carried a threat at Trent Bridge.

With Stuart Broad batting at number eight, England have a tail longer than a diplodocus, though Stokes will say it is not the bowlers' job to get runs.

There will be times when running into the fire will cause England to get burnt. Their failures could be as spectacular as their triumphs.

Perhaps there will be occasions when even Stokes and McCullum have to find a different rhythm. It can't always be a case of turning it up to 11 and playing everything as loud as possible. Nirvana's Unplugged session was just as good as the Nevermind album.

Not that Stokes is entertaining those thoughts at the moment.

"We're going to be even more positive. I don't know how, but we'll try," he added.

"The sky is probably the limit, but we can go further than that. With this group of players, I've got absolutely no idea."

Welcome to Bazball. Enjoy the ride.

• Brilliant Bairstow leads England to astonishing win