Whether or not they want to remain stubborn with regards to the style of play they have committed to playing, England have a long two weeks of introspection and soul-searching in store before the second Ashes Test. A two-day Test in which they batted less than 70 overs across their two innings means Bazball is under pressure, and something probably needs to change given the manner of their loss.
With the pink ball Test in Brisbane being their next assignment, England also have a two-day tour game against the Aussie Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra to look forward to, also with the pink ball under lights. However, England had originally planned to use none of their first team players in that match, instead favouring the developmental Lions squad to be used.
That decision has come under fire, with former captain Michael Vaughan telling the team to swallow their ego and to gain time and experience against the pink ball in order to fight back from their calamitous Perth showing.
“Whether they like it or not, all these conversations are going to come back to England,” said Vaughan to the BBC.
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‘I can’t be so old school…'
Vaughan argued that putting in the work was the only way to improve for England, and that they shouldn’t be stuck in the mindset of not following in the footsteps of past touring teams.
{{/usCountry}}Vaughan argued that putting in the work was the only way to improve for England, and that they shouldn’t be stuck in the mindset of not following in the footsteps of past touring teams.
{{/usCountry}}”It’s amateurish if England don’t go out and practice between now and then. What harm is it playing two days of cricket with the pink ball under lights? I can’t be so old school to suggest that by playing cricket they might get a little bit better?” admonished Michael Vaughan.
“My method would be, you’ve got a pink-ball two-day game, you go and grab it, go and take it, play those two days and give yourself the best chance,” said the 2005 Ashes-winning skipper.
England will need to tighten up their game, with the worst side of their Bazball philosophy showing up as carelessness cost them the game and a hefty advantage in Perth. Now down 1-0 in the series and the matches only likely to get trickier, there will need to be more preparedness for Ben Stokes and his men.