Stuart Broad defends Jonny Bairstow after Vaughan’s criticism

Former England captain Michael Vaughan criticised Jonny Bairstow's dismissal in the second innings of the first Test against New Zealand as "dumb" and "pathetic."


England were in trouble in chasing 277 runs in the final innings of the Test match, and they lost three early wickets for just 46 runs when Jonny Bairstow came to the crease.


Bairstow started the innings in aggressive style, hitting three boundaries off Trent Boult's over. However, he was dismissed by Kyle Jamieson who bowled a brilliant spell. The Yorkshire batter went for the cover drive and was bowled through the gate for 16 runs off 15 balls. 


While commentating for a BBC Test Match Special, Vaughan criticised Bairstow's decision not to defend the final ball of Jamieson's spell. 


"I'm sorry, but that's stupid," Vaughan said on air.


"That is pathetic. You know it is going to be Jamieson's last ball of a terrific spell. There was a bit of nip. It is an OK delivery. But when you are throwing your hands at a ball with a gap between bat and pad that you and I could swim through. You can have all the preparation and team meetings, but until you play smart. See him off. Get rid of him. Play a defensive shot. It is just dumb," he added.


On the other hand, England fast bowler Stuart Broad has defended Bairstow's dismissal, saying he can be "happy" with the manner in which he batted.


"As Ben Stokes said, he makes players feel 10ft tall, filling them with confidence but also expects the players to take their own responsibility," Stuart Broad wrote in his column for the Daily Mail.


"You could see that in the way that Bairstow batted on Saturday. Sure, he didn't get as many runs as he would have liked, but he could be happy that he committed to a certain way of playing and didn't alter that," Broad further added.


England were able to chase the target of 277, and former England captain, Joe Root, scored a match-winning century and helped his side take a 1-0 lead in the series.


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