ENGLAND ON THEIR KNEES
Heat is on Root and Bayliss after Lord’s defeat to Pakistan Worst since they hit rock bottom in 1999
It waS eight years ago on a sunny Sunday at Lord’s that the cricketing world was rocked by a corruption scandal before Pakistan plunged to a heavy defeat. How the tables have been turned.
the 2010 affair ended with three Pakistan players in jail and yesterday’s allegations of spot-fixing against Joe root’s side added a surreal air to another tumultuous day.
this time, Mohammad amir was making the right headlines, taking two of the last four wickets yesterday to leave Pakistan claiming the cricketing and moral high ground while England were forced to strongly deny any wrongdoing.
Even an al-Jazeera documentary could not obscure the bad news of England’s first May defeat at Lord’s since the ECB introduced an early-season test series 18 years ago that the home side have habitually won easily.
what a miserable performance this was from England and what a pivotal moment this is, not only in the coaching reign of trevor Bayliss, but also for a captain in root who cannot hide behind novice status any more.
this is arguably the worst England test side since they crashed to the bottom of the rankings in 1999 and Nasser Hussain and Duncan Fletcher began the transformation that would end with them on top of the world 12 years later.
the statistics tell the story. England have now lost seven of their last ten test matches, while Bayliss, such a success in white-ball cricket, has presided over 20 test defeats compared to 15 victories. the rot simply has to stop now.
Hussain has argued that the time for an arm round the shoulder is over; that England need to abandon their ‘softly, softly’ policy and take a stern approach to a decline that has reached alarming proportions.
Bayliss was recruited by andrew Strauss, the England cricket director, specifically for his calm demeanour and his preference for treating his players like adults. But he will surely have to show a different side to his personality ahead of Friday’s second test.
It does not help that the inscrutable Bayliss can give the impression that he does not care enough, as with his response yesterday when asked if he should carry on in all three formats until the end of next summer.
‘I’m committed to all forms until September 2019 but, if that’s a decision someone higher up makes, then I’m looking forward to a bit more gardening,’ he said. ‘Personally, I believe the things we are working on are the right things.’
Bayliss does care, of that there is no question, and he is an excellent coach. But, clearly, England have collectively taken their eye off the red ball because of their expressed desire to improve what was shocking limited-overs cricket.
It remains highly unlikely that Bayliss will be replaced now, not least because the man who would make that decision, Strauss, is on compassionate leave and it would be an incredibly bold call for caretaker andy Flower to make.
‘we are trying to make individuals better,’ said Bayliss after Pakistan wrapped up their nine-wicket victory half an hour before lunch on day four.
‘In the one-day game, we have about 16 players trying to get in the side. In the test team, it’s about seven or eight with three or four places still to nail down.
‘It’s taking a little longer than we would have liked, but we have to keep hammering away. I believe it will be the right way and these are the best players we’ve got. the batters, in particular, need to have a good, hard look at themselves.’
Perhaps more worrying is the captain. a year on from replacing alastair Cook, root has shown little improvement in his tactical acumen, while he still cannot turn half-centuries into hundreds.
It might also be pertinent to question root’s judgment on players as he was widely believed to have pushed for Gary Ballance’s inclusion last year and, apparently, insisted on Mark Stoneman here.
Stoneman now looks shot and will surely be taken out of the firing line when England today name their team for Friday’s second test — Keaton Jennings is favourite to replace him — but the rest of the team are pretty much the best England have got. they have to show it.
‘we got it wrong here,’ said root, who defended his decision to bat first but not the way his batsmen made a mockery of it. ‘we have been outperformed in all three departments in conditions we know so well and that’s really disappointing.
‘But just look at that dressing room. It’s a talented team and there are guys in there who will do great things for England. we have to be smarter and show patience but, ultimately, it’s about working together.’
they had better start working together quickly, starting by attempting to square this two-test series in Leeds, or both coach and captain will come under huge pressure.
It is time for root to channel his inner Hussain and for Bayliss to prove that he is more than a Mr Nice Guy, particularly with such a strong alternative in Pakistan’s Mickey arthur showing the way in this first test. the stakes are suddenly very high.