This is no blip, we’re in crisis...
WHATEVER way you dress it up, this defeat, an eighth in 13 Tests, must prove a wake-up call for England.
Last summer’s series against Pakistan, drawn 2-2, was seen as an aberration. Perhaps generously, we all applauded an entertaining, see-saw contest that we thought summed up the best of Test cricket even if it did highlight the weaknesses of this England team.
In the winter there was a drawn series in Bangladesh following a four-day capitulation in the final Test in Dhaka. That defeat could be explained away by the difficulties of playing in the Subcontinent against quality spin.
It meant the subsequent 4-0 hammering in India came as no surprise and the main takeaway was that England did not have the spinners to survive let alone thrive in Asian conditions.
Alastair Cook made way as captain, the opener looking visibly resigned on every single level during a final Test in Chennai that saw his team concede their highest-ever Test total.
He was replaced by Joe Root, whose captaincy got off to the perfect start with a crushing 211-run win against South Africa at Lord’s.
Then we got this wretched performance against opponents who were supposedly on the rack after losing key bowler Kagiso Rabada to a harsh disciplinary ban.
Coming as it did at Trent Bridge, a ground where England had not lost for a decade and where, in their last Test in 2015, they bowled out Australia for 60, made it even worse.
Sport is often fond of unnecessary hyperbole, but it is not over the top to state that this England Test team are in crisis.
From the way the management go about their business, the mindset of the players and selection of the team, things now need to change.
We could write this off as just another bad performance – after all, did not England win the Ashes in coach Trevor Bayliss’ first series in charge and follow it up with a fine win in South Africa?
Those highlights now seem like a long time ago. The truth is England have won one series – at home to Sri Lanka – since that victory in South Africa 18 months ago.
Cook admitted his team had “stagnated” when he gave up the captaincy in February. It would be more accurate to say they have actually gone backwards.
What was most worrying about this defeat is the fact England’s batting showed a total lack of fight.
The bowlers, led by the excellent James Anderson, could not be accused of that.Yet they still fell short of what was required and were outclassed by a South Africa attack led superbly by man-of-thematch Vernon Philander.
And it is right we applaud South Africa for a superb performance of their own.
England’s abysmal batting, though, is the soft underbelly of this team. Twice at Lord’s they collapsed as a top six not fit for purpose was bailed out by a brilliant first-innings 190 from Root.
Here in Nottingham, Root was only able to make 78 in the first innings. England made 205 in total.
The second innings was even worse. Tasked with batting for 184 overs to save the match, they managed to last just 44.2 as they surrendered to 133 all out to lose in three-and-a-half days. They lost their final five wickets for 11 runs in 26 balls. It was pathetic.
Only Root and Cook, victims of near-unplayable deliveries from Chris Morris, can be excused.
This England team do possess real talent and they can be thrilling to watch when they are on the front foot. But when things go against them, they fold.
No wonder then the reckless, brainless batting at Trent Bridge led to two former England captains in Nasser Hussain and Michael Vaughan giving this current team both barrels.
Hussain, speaking on Sky Sports, did not pull any punches, saying: “England have potential and can put in brilliant performances but there are cracks so if the opposition up their game they can get exposed.
“I want to see people value their wicket. If people bowl well, acknowledge it, don’t say, ‘we’re trying to play a positive brand of cricket’. A score of 133 all out is a rubbish brand of cricket.”
Vaughan added:“The England batting has been appalling. Maybe it’s a lack of respect about what the game is. They look like they are playing a Twenty20.”
The comments from Vaughan drew Root’s ire after this second Test, the England captain visibly shocked at what his mentor and Sheffield Collegiate club-mate had said.
“I think that’s very unfair – I can’t believe he’s actually said that, to be honest,” said Root.
“Unfortunately we’ve played poorly this week but the most important thing now is to respond well and make sure we put it right at the Oval.”
Changes have been made for that third Test, with the absence of Gary Ballance with a fractured left index finger meaning there will be a new batsman at No. 3 in the form of Essex’s Tom Westley.
Yet whatever the personnel, England will have to arrest the inconsistency that has seen them follow a win with a defeat on seven occasions in the two years since Bayliss has been coach.
“I can’t put my finger on it,” said Root. “I look at the talent in the
dressing room and the players we have and it shouldn’t happen like that. It’s something we’ve spoken about and we want to make sure we put it right. That all starts with how we prepare leading into the next Test.
“It’s important to stay calm. There’s a lot of cricket left to be played in this series. It’s important we don’t sulk, we don’t get too down on ourselves. We need to learn the lessons quickly from this week.”
With the series level at 1-1, Root and his team still have plenty to play for. But they will need to raise their collective game significantly if they are to avoid another horror show like this.