England have doubled down on Shoaib Bashir’s status as their “No 1 spinner” despite omitting their two-year project from the third Test in Adelaide and watching Will Jacks struggle in his place.
Speaking after the close of play on day three, at which point Australia were closing in on an unassailable 3-0 series lead, England’s assistant coach Jeetan Patel said Bashir had been sacrificed to prop up a struggling batting lineup. But the tactic has backfired, with Jacks making only six during England’s sub-par first innings of 286 all out and, unable to command a steady line, sitting on overnight match figures of three for 212 from 39 overs.
