Feature

Which was the innings of the English summer?

Match-winning or not, a hundred or not, seven Tests and ten ODIs later, spread across four months, which innings would you pick as the best of the summer?

Tests

Joe Root's 98 v New Zealand, 1st Test, Lord's
New Zealand demolished England's top order on the first day of the summer to leave them reeling at 30 for 4. That, however, did not bother Joe Root. Even though he fell two short of a hundred, his 98 was enough to lead a middle-order revival and spur England to a fighting 389.
Alastair Cook's 162 v New Zealand, 1st Test, Lord's
With England trailing by 134 runs in the first innings, Alastair Cook turned things around with his 162 to set New Zealand a daunting target of 345, which was enough to start the season on a winning note.
Pick your Test knock of the English summer
20 votes
Alastair Cook's 162 v New Zealand, 1st Test, Lord's
Joe Root's 98 v New Zealand, 1st Test, Lord's
Ben Stokes' 101 v New Zealand, 1st Test, Lord's
BJ Watling's 120 v England, 2nd Test, Headingley
Joe Root's 134 v Australia, 1st Test, Cardiff
Steven Smith's 215 v England, 2nd Test, Lord's
Ben Stokes' 101 v New Zealand, 1st Test, Lord's
New Zealand took a hefty first-innings lead and Alastair Cook replies with a hundred. Then Ben Stokes came out at No. 6 to counter-attack with an 85-ball hundred, the second-fastest in Tests by an England batsman, before he took three wickets as the home pacers dismissed New Zealand for 220.
BJ Watling's 120 v England, 2nd Test, Headingley
Both teams produced the same score in the first innings - 350. The match was in balance with New Zealand on 141 for 4 before BJ Watling's hundred, despite a knee injury that didn't allow him to keep wickets, ensured New Zealand levelled the series to maintain their two-year unbeaten run in Test series.
Joe Root's 134 v Australia, 1st Test, Cardiff
England were in a bit of bother at 43 for 3 with Adam Lyth, Cook and Ian Bell back in the pavilion. Joe Root put the pressure back on Australia with his seventh Test hundred to lay the platform for a total of 430.
Steven Smith's 215 v England, 2nd Test, Lord's
Steven Smith's maiden double-hundred helped Australia amass 566 for 8 declared, which included a 284-run stand with Chris Rogers, who made 173. It set up a thumping 405-run win, helping Australia level the series 1-1.

ODIs

Jos Buttler's 129 v New Zealand, 1st ODI, Edgbaston
It is the 'New England' everyone was talking about as they raced to 408 in 50 overs, mainly on the back of Jos Buttler's 129 off 77 balls, an innings that featured 13 fours and five sixes. His hundred came off just 66 balls.
Pick your ODI knock of the English summer
11 votes
Jos Buttler’s 129 v New Zealand, 1st ODI, Edgbaston
Joe Root’s 104 v New Zealand, 1st ODI, Edgbaston
Ross Taylor's 119* v England, 2nd ODI, The Oval
Eoin Morgan’s 113 v New Zealand, 4th ODI, Trent Bridge
Matthew Wade 71* v England, 1st ODI, Southampton
Joe Root’s 106* v New Zealand, 4th ODI, Trent Bridge
Eoin Morgan’s 92 v Australia, 4th ODI, Headingley
Joe Root's 104 v New Zealand, 1st ODI, Edgbaston
The path for Buttler's hundred was carved by Joe Root at No. 3, after England lost their openers to a menacing Trent Boult. A magnificent hundred from Root, off 71 balls, gave his side a new dimension with the bat in ODIs, as it helped them score 400 for the first time.
Ross Taylor's 119* v England, 2nd ODI, The Oval
After being hammered in the first ODI, New Zealand bounced back in the second, led by Taylor's unbeaten century. The famous Taylor slog-sweep was on show as he muscled New Zealand to 398, a total they just about managed to defend.
Eoin Morgan's 113 v New Zealand, 4th ODI, Trent Bridge
An inexperienced England bowling attack could not stop New Zealand from posting a massive 349 before Eoin Morgan's quickfire hundred - 113 off 82 - led them home with as many as six overs to spare. He had four scores of 50-plus in the series, the first by any England captain.
Joe Root's 106* v New Zealand, 4th ODI, Trent Bridge
That successful and record chase of 350 was possible also because of Joe Root's unbeaten 106 off 97, an innings of finesse under pressure to lead England to their fourth consecutive score of 300-plus.
Matthew Wade 71* v England, 1st ODI, Southampton
In the 37th over, Wade made a bad call that resulted in Shane Watson's run-out and left Australia at 193 for 6. Wade made up for the error, though, as he pummelled an unbeaten 71 off 50 to lift Australia beyond 300 and also make his case for being the long-term successor to Brad Haddin.
Eoin Morgan's 92 v Australia, 4th ODI, Headingley
England had never chased a target of 300 or more against Australia, but a composed run-a-ball 92 from their captain anchored their innings. He couldn't guide his team to the finish thanks to a screamer from Glenn Maxwell, but the lower middle-order managed to complete the chase.