Ashes legends Michael Vaughan and Sir Alastair Cook tore into England's “kamikaze” batsmen and accused them of lacking killer instinct to nail the Aussies.
On another day of Bazball madness at Lord's, England's pre-lunch collapse against a bumper barrage left them needing a miracle to win the second Test. And Aussie pace bowler Mitchell Starc warned there was another short-pitched shelling to come.
The two Ashes-winning captains lined up on BBC's Test Match Special to condemn the recklessness which cost England their last six wickets for 46 runs.
When rain and bad light forced an early close, the Aussies were 130-2 second time around – 221 runs ahead, eight wickets in hand and disappearing over the horizon.
Vaughan, who presided over the sensational 2005 series, was especially scathing of Harry Brook's death-wish slap to extra cover, saying: “Really good teams know when to switch it on.
“It was kamikaze with the bat in hand. I love watching Harry Brook bat but he doesn't have to take the high, high-risk option. I hope he doesn't think the only way he can play Test cricket is to hit boundaries all the time.”
Vaughan branded Brook's dismissal a “shocking shot,” adding: “It's silly, it's stupid, and it won't have constant success. England clearly like losing.”
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And Cook, skipper for the home Ashes wins in 2013 and 2015, fumed: “What has happened here and at Edgbaston is England not having the killer instinct to nail Australia down. We don't need to hit sixes, we just need to hammer teams down. They took scoring runs for granted in the first innings.”
England assistant coach Jeetan Patel's assertion last night that the Test is “finely poised” was transparent drivel. They will need a miracle to level the series, and Starc, who took 3-88 as England folded to 325 all out, warned they could be bounced out again.
He said: “I think we were pretty accurate in getting the ball up around the the chest and shoulders. They are playing aggressive cricket and their approach is up to them. We will see how the wicket reacts over the next couple of days, but it could potentially be a ploy.
“If they want to take it on (short-pitched deliveries) it's worked for us in the first innings so it could work again.”
England vice-captain Ollie Pope, who was off the field after aggravating an injury to his right shoulder sustained on Wednesday, will bat at No.3 in the second innings despite needing ice treatment.
