Despite losing by two wickets at Edgbaston in the first Ashes Test, England coach Brendon McCullum stated that his team will be even more aggressive in the second match of the series, which will begin on Wednesday at Lord’s. The match will be played at Lord’s.
However, Geoffrey Boycott, who served as the captain of England in the past, has criticized Ben Stokes and the rest of the team for “getting carried away with Bazball” and not making winning a priority. Boycott also stated that England is in risk of turning the Ashes into an exhibition series.
The majority of the game was controlled by England, but Australia was able to come out on top because to their frequently conservative approach and a match-winning combination between their skipper Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon that scored 55 runs for the ninth wicket.
This was just England’s third loss in 14 Tests since McCullum replaced captain Stokes at the helm. The team’s strategy of all-out aggressiveness has been termed “Bazball” in reference to the former New Zealand skipper. This was England’s first loss since the Ashes series in 2015.
Boycott said in his caustic column for “The Telegraph” that England was in danger of turning the Ashes into an exhibition. Boycott was quite critical of England’s performance.
“England appear to have gotten carried away with Bazball and appear to believe that entertaining is more important than winning.” But the fans of England want one thing more than anything else: they want their team to win the Ashes.
“It’s great when you can score quick runs and hit a bunch of fours and sixes. It is wonderful. However, this will only be the case if England keeps their focus on the ultimate goal, which is to defeat Australia. Regardless of how much fun we have had watching this series, our stomachs will turn if Australia is victorious in the end and takes the ashes home with them.
Boycott asserted that the much-anticipated Ashes series between the two fierce competitors would lose its significance if England did not play to win it.
If England are not competing to win the Ashes matches, then these matches do not hold as much significance. These are just for display purposes only. They have everything completely turned around. It is not about giving them a good time and then coming out on top. It is all about coming out on top.
“By all means, amuse, but chess is not the same as cricket. There will be times when you have to protect yourself. It is necessary to practice patience and acceptance of the situation at times.