England head coach Brendon McCullum, a man whose glass isn't just half-full but overflowing with fizzy optimism, has once again graced us with his thoughts on the perpetual 'will he, won't he?' saga of Jofra Archer.
McCullum, affectionately known as 'Baz' to those who appreciate his particular brand of positive thinking, is reportedly 'hopeful' that Archer will be ready to roll for the second Test against New Zealand. Now, 'hopeful' is a word that tends to follow Archer around like a particularly enthusiastic shadow, so we'll allow ourselves a small, cynical eyebrow raise. Still, the prospect of the quick tearing in once more is enough to get any cricket fan's pulse racing, even if it's primarily from anxiety over his next injury update.
Switching gears from the eternally anticipated to the refreshingly delivered, Baz also took a moment to reflect on Emilio Gay's rather 'super-impressive' outing in the first Test. Apparently, the young Northamptonshire batter was experiencing a severe case of the 'spins' – no, not from a dodgy curry, but from good old-fashioned debut nerves – before stepping onto the pitch.
It's fair to say Gay didn't let those pre-match jitters define him. From a head 'spinning' with pre-debut anxiety to a performance deemed 'super-impressive' by the head coach himself, it sounds like he handled the pressure with the sort of aplomb that makes seasoned pros nod in approval. Good to know some things still go according to plan, even in the wonderfully chaotic world of English cricket.
So, as McCullum keeps the faith for Archer and doffs his cap to Gay's impressive start, we're left with the familiar cocktail of cautious optimism and genuine excitement that defines the Bazball era. Just don't ask us to put money on Archer's exact return date. We're not *that* hopeful.