Following the tumultuous conclusion of the first Ashes match in Birmingham, former England captain Michael Vaughan wished the Three Lions had been more diligent. The former cricket player bemoaned England‘s rustiness on the pitch, which played a crucial role in their narrow defeat.
Multiple momentum shifts occurred during the Ashes opener at Edgbaston, but former England captain Michael Vaughan felt that the host team failed to capitalise when they were on top. Vaughan believed that England were a touch complacent whenever they were in control of the game, thereby opening the door for Australia.
While wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow missed a few glaring opportunities, Vaughan believed England could have been a touch more ruthless with the bat on the benign Birmingham pitch. Against the formidable Australian team, he exhorted Ben Stokes to be more flexible and adaptable with his game plans.
“England must understand that when they have the opposition cornered, they must seal the deal. If one were to be critical, there were too many instances in this Test match in which England appeared to be comfortably ahead, only to subsequently open the door for Australia. You must have the ability to make a modification. Therefore, England must adapt throughout a five-day match.
This is a portent of caution for England. I would not alter the roster. It is simply a matter of being wiser and slightly sharper in the field. They cannot provide so many opportunities for Australia. In his column for The Daily Telegraph, Vaughan stated, “I cannot recall a single team in any sport that played only one way and ultimately achieved success in the highest competitions.”
I believe Stokes will want the team to strive to be slightly more intelligent. Michael Vaughan
Although Vaughan refrained from making alterations to the side that failed to win the first Ashes match, the former captain anticipates a bit more cunning from the English team in the upcoming Tests.
“England will assert that nothing has changed, which is a positive message to convey externally. “However, I believe Ben Stokes will want the team to try to be a little bit smarter, keeping the core of what has worked so well over the past year and simply assessing situations with a bit more intelligence,” he added.
Home