Legendary England cricketer Geoffrey Boycott was left deeply disappointed by the performance of Ben Stokes and Co in the second Ashes Test against Australia at the Lord’s. England lost their last six wickets for under 50 runs to hand Australia a massive advantage in the match and Boycott’s expression during the game has gone viral. In a video posted on social media, the England great can be seen burying his face in his hands during the England innings. Boycott himself responded to the picture on social media saying – “Yes it does, batting without brains. Chatting to my captain Mike Brearley.”
Yes it does, batting without brains. Chatting to my captain Mike Brearley https://t.co/gJMmUEPrbn
— Sir Geoffrey Boycott (@GeoffreyBoycott) June 30, 2023
England’s commitment to ‘Bazball’ is testing the patience of former players and fans after another careless batting display left their Ashes hopes hanging by a thread.
Captain Ben Stokes and Harry Brook walked out to bat at Lord’s on Friday with the second Test nicely poised despite a chaotic final session the previous evening.
But the home side slumped from 278-4 to 325 all out, giving Australia a precious first-innings lead of 91.
Throwing every away. #Bazball. #ECB. #England #Ashes #cricket. pic.twitter.com/t4ZXbxGzq3
— TonyNyman (@Tony_Nyman) June 30, 2023
Once again, England were the architects of their own downfall.
On Thursday, Ollie Pope, Ben Duckett and Joe Root all gifted their wickets to Australia, even though the visitors’ short-ball plan was blindingly obvious.
England had a nightmare start on the third day when Stokes, who had played responsibly the previous evening, was dismissed by Mitchell Starc off the second ball.
England, in their previous incarnation — and most sides in Test history — would have taken stock and re-built. But not this team.
Brook, who made 50, threw way his wicket after an ugly swipe to a Starc delivery ended up in the hands of Australia captain Pat Cummins.
“Shocking shot,” former England captain Michael Vaughan told the BBC. “England clearly like losing. Yesterday they gifted Australia three wickets.
“They arrive on day three, the pitch is doing a bit more. To see that wicket and Australia now know they are bowling to the tail.”
Again England did not learn.
Jonny Bairstow, the last recognised specialist batsman, chipped the ball tamely to Cummins off the bowling of Josh Hazlewood. Ollie Robinson charged down the track to part-time spinner Travis Head and got an edge. Stuart Broad missed a sweep against the same bowler.
Alastair Cook, who skippered England to two Ashes series wins, said there was “a sense of shock around the ground”.
“We keep going back to that spell, how precious Test match runs and sessions are,” he said.
“We’ve all watched enough cricket, when you get in positions, it is so precious and you have to realise how precious that is and treasure it.”
A gung-ho England went into the Ashes with 11 wins under their belt from 13 Tests under Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, playing a thrilling brand of attacking cricket dubbed ‘Bazball’ in reference to the former New Zealand captain.
Questions were asked over whether they could keep up the pace against the recently-crowned world Test champions, who boast a battery of high-class quicks.
England came agonisingly close to winning the first match at Edgbaston last week.
An inspired display by Cummins, this time with the bat, hauled Australia over the line by two wickets.
Even so, England made Australia’s task in the fourth innings far easier than it should have been by tossing wickets away cheaply earlier in the match.
(With AFP inputs)
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