Is England’s batting too ‘reckless’ as a second collapse in as many sessions on Friday morning at Lord’s had the hosts on the precipice of falling 2-0 behind in the Ashes.
England trail Australia by 221 runs at stumps on day three of the second Test, the visitors still with eight second-inning wickets in hand too.
It’s all a far cry from England’s position at 4.43pm on Thursday evening when well set at 188-1 in their first innings, before three wickets then fell in the space of 34 runs, with Ollie Pope, Ben Duckett – two short of a maiden Ashes century – and Joe Root all out when taking on short balls.
The happy hooking continued on the third morning as England crumbled from 278-4 to 325 all out, with Harry Brook another to throw his wickets away when looking to take on another bouncer.
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The best of the action from day three of the second Ashes Test as an England batting collapse handed Australia the advantage
Atherton: England on wrong side of reckless
“If you go back to last summer, England’s approach is one of calculated aggression. Here, it seems to be all-out aggression, no matter what,” said Michael Atherton.
“They were just the wrong side of reckless in that innings, and this morning in particular with the dismissal of Harry Brook.
“Even Eoin [Morgan] who I reckon is kind of the spiritual godfather of ‘Bazball’ might have thought that that was slightly reckless.”
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Michael Atherton and Eoin Morgan have their say on Australia’s dominant performance over England in the morning session on day three of the second Test of The Ashes
He added: “I don’t know whether it’s because of the Ashes, whether it’s the pace of the bowling. Pace makes you do funny things, it can take you out of your comfort zone.
“All of the chat around England’s approach, you can sometimes forget what got you to this position.
“Think about Jonny Bairstow’s innings at Trent Bridge against New Zealand, that was grasping a moment where he thought it was right to attack. It was calculated risk-taking.
“Here, it has felt England are not in control of what they are doing.”
Hussain: England failed to play the percentages
“The batting yesterday [Thursday] after tea, and then following it up today, they [England] just did not play the percentages,” said Nasser Hussain.
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England lose their last three wickets for just one run as Australia polish off the tail to earn a lead of 91 runs after the first innings of the second Ashes Test match at Lord’s
“The damage was done yesterday. England got into a really strong position when the sun was out but became happy hookers after tea when every ball had to go.
“Everyone talks about Bazball but the Bazball I have seen is playing the conditions, which they did in Pakistan and last summer.
“If you’ve got four fielders out on the hook, the percentages are not in your favour and if you keep hooking you’ll eventually give your wicket away – and that’s what they did.”
Pietersen: Can England change their tactics?
“I know a lot of people have called England’s batting ‘brainless’, but I was pretty brainless too,” said Kevin Pietersen. “People hated it when I said, ‘that’s the way I play’.
“I saw the best form of defence being attack, every single time.
“The one thing I’ll say is I think it was much harder to play the short stuff on this wicket, because of its two-paced nature.
“When England get to Headingley [for the third Test], with the bounce you do get on those particular wickets, it can be easier to get a pull shot away.
“Joe Root is probably the greatest player to play for this country. And for him to get out how he did, being as good as he is, you think, ‘maybe it is the wicket’, because he’s a great.”
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Former England international Kevin Pietersen says that there is ‘no way’ Australia will let England off the hook on Day Three of the second test of the Ashes
Pietersen added: “Do you think you can change tactics as a cricket team in the middle of a series?
“I know it’s all about Bazball, and ‘we’re going to play this way, we will always chase a win’.
“Who knows, they may have the most unbelievable fourth innings and chase it down, and we’re sitting here talking the biggest load of nonsense.
“But can they, against this Australian side, tinker with what they’re doing, because what they have done this week and last week [at Edgbaston] certainly didn’t work?”
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Pietersen discuss if England should stick or twist, in regards to their tactics against the dominant Australia in The Ashes
Morgan: England must stick to their method
“I totally understand Kev’s point,” Morgan said. “But the last thing you want to see as a leader within that changing room is England trying to beat Australia at their own game – they are the best in the world at that.
“You will beat them by being the best at your method.
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Watch as Sir Geoffrey Boycott was left with his head in his hands after seeing Harry Brook’s dismissal on Day Three of the second test of The Ashes
“The thinking in that changing room goes against pretty much every generation of red-ball cricket that England has ever produced. Sometimes it’s hard to accept or understand, but I firmly believe they have a clearer view and understanding of how they’ve achieved it.
“It seems to suit the characters and the personnel in the changing room – and I don’t see that stopping.”
Strauss: Ego came into England’s batting
“When I was playing cricket for England, we talked a lot about playing without emotion – almost not allowing the adrenaline to come into your cricket,” Sir Andrew Strauss said. “We tried to be almost assassin-like in the way we approached things.
“This England team do it very differently, they let the emotion almost dictate how they play. It’s why they’ve been to achieve such extraordinary things, but it’s also why they’re vulnerable. You always feel like they’re potentially going to offer you a way back into the game.
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Watch all eight wickets to fall on day three of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s in 90 seconds
“That Bazball approach is so embedded in the team now, and England would be absolutely wrong to try and change that, but any Test cricket still needs to be smart cricket.
“With your intent, and overall approach, you have to still assess, ‘what does this situation require of me?’ Adaptability is always crucial.
“If England were honest with themselves, there have been moments in this Test match – and Edgbaston – where ego maybe came into it.
“With Australia bowling short like that, yes England want to be positive against it and not take a backwards step but sometimes the odds aren’t in your favour.”
Watch day four of the second men’s Ashes Test live on Sky Sports Cricket. Coverage from Lord’s gets under way at 10.15am, with the first ball at 11am. Also stream all of this summer’s men’s and women’s series on NOW.