England’s cricket team is in a dire situation going into the last match of the Ashes series against Australia. Even as they approach the fourth day of this second Test at the Gabba, they are battling mightily to get back on track. Expert observers lament the team’s condition as their prospects of tying up the series diminish. They highlight a disconnect and competing interests between major players, and the pain of each entity trying to do their own thing.
The team now chases Australia’s first innings score of 177 in reply, finishing day three on 6 for 134. This recent sad state of affairs is the latest gaffe and failure in a line of gaffes, failures and disappointments that has left England in shock. Former captain Michael Vaughan has been scathing in his assessment, declaring them to have “huge, huge issues.” The further the series goes, the harder the pressure gets and England’s hopes of bouncing back look more and more forlorn.
Ollie Pope’s struggles have been particularly notable. The young batsman averages a poor 18.71 in his seven Tests contested Down Under. He was given a warning on his very first ball. Despite that, he irresponsibly chucked away his wicket, leaving us to wonder just how prepared he was for such intense matches. At the same time, Jamie Smith’s record has been called into question. Former England captain Nasser Hussain has described Smith as a “wonderful talent.” He opined that sincere, demonstrable improvement was key to actually improving the team’s fortunes and not just increasing goodwill.
England’s talisman Joe Root, their captain and figurehead, is still the main man. Hussain cautioned against leaning heavily on Root. He challenged the view that England can continue to rely on Joe Root to rescue them. Their over-reliance on this one source has deepened their crisis. Ben Stokes might be attempting to guide a sort of rescue mission, but he’s getting no support from his colleagues.
The loss of Zak Crawley was another hammer blow to England. He hit the ball far, his hands extended in front. It was at that point in the match that Michael Neser caught an incredible catch to take the momentum back to Australia. The same type of problem has plagued England’s pace bowlers throughout the match. They failed to bowl the right yorkers and frequently overcompensated by bowling too short. Conversely, Australia’s bowlers have been extremely disciplined, with a consistent line that’s kept the ball up and aimed at the stumps.
Ben Duckett’s sub-par form at the top of the order has been cause for alarm. He has been coming across all jittery and hasty while batting at the middle. Another game coming up, this time in Adelaide. If Pope can’t turn it around, it might free up a spot for Jacob Bethell to make the team. The possible alteration is an admission of the continued concern over the performance as England continues to search for answers with their batting order.
It’s no surprise that commentators have called this out, saying there is no accountability inside the team. According to Agnew, “There’s nobody to put pressure on any of these players, so you just go out and bat as you want to play.” This sentiment echoes throughout the commentary on England’s performance. Many observers note that there are no ramifications for poor play or questions of dropping underperforming players.
Hussain further elaborated on the consequences of recent performances, stating, “I’ve talked about consequences of your actions in the last three days catching up with you.” Moreover, he added, it seems like England has reached a state of chronic failure with no short-term consequences. This lack of internal competition may be contributing to a relaxed attitude amongst players who are not feeling the heat of scrutiny.
As pressure mounts, Hussain warned about potential psychological damage that could result from this series: “I worry about this psychological damage of this last two days. Not just for the batters, but particularly the bowlers, who had so much time out there and they just didn’t look like they were going to get wickets.”
Australia’s best bowlers, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon are all out injured. This challenge presents a specific and special opportunity for England to try and seize. When we dig into the details, it often appears they’re unable to take full advantage of that strength. Vaughan highlighted this irony by stating, “Let’s just mention this Australian team have got over a thousand wickets not playing.”
Despite these challenges, Marcus Trescothick emphasized that England is trying to maintain their approach and play style: “We are trying to play the way we want to play and we want to try and utilize that in the best possible fashion.” With all the excitement surrounding this turf revolution, it’s still yet to be seen if this philosophy can result in actual, practical results on the field.
