Dropped catches cost England: Michael Vaughan warns the hosts not to give Australia so many opportunities
Former England captain Michael Vaughan yearned for more tenacity from the Three Lions after the thrilling Ashes opener in Birmingham. The ex-cricketer bemoaned England’s sluggishness on the pitch, which was a major factor in their close defeat.
The Ashes opening at Edgbaston saw the momentum shift multiple times, but former England captain Michael Vaughan believed that the home team did not make the most of their advantages when they had the upper hand. The Australians were able to take advantage of England’s complacency while they were in control of the situation.
While wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow missed a few obvious opportunities, Vaughan believed England should have been a little more brutal with the bat on a placid surface in Birmingham. Against a strong Australian team, he advised Ben Stokes to be more flexible and adaptable with his game ideas.
That is a warning sign for England: Michael Vaughan on England’s Ashes loss
“What England must learn is that when you are nailing the opposition, make sure you finish the deal. If you were being critical, there were too many times in this Test match when England seemed comfortably on top and then just opened up a door for Australia. You have got to have it in you to change it up. So England need to adapt over the course of a five-day game.
That is a warning sign for England. I would not change the team. It is just about being smarter and a little bit sharper in the field. They just cannot give Australia so many opportunities. There are no sporting teams in my recollection that play only one way and are ultimately successful in the highest competitions,” wrote Vaughan in his column for The Daily Telegraph.
Even though Vaughan didn’t make any adjustments to the lineup that fell short in the Ashes opener, the former captain anticipates a little more cunning from the English team in the future Tests.
“England will say that nothing changes, and that is a good message to stick to outwardly. But I think Stokes will want the team to try to just be a little bit smarter, keeping the core of what has worked so well in the past year, and just being shrewder at assessing moments,” he added.
