ROOTED TO THE SPOT left standing by Kiwis
England’s batsmen are
ENGLAND’S batsmen were out-thought and out-classed as they surrendered the Second Test to the Blackcaps.
A woeful willow display has left Joe Root & Co on the brink – and within touching distance of a first home series defeat in seven years.
Asked to produce a performance after the home bowlers had taken back some initiative, they failed horribly – while the New Zealanders’ class told.
England were run ragged as the tourists made the most of every chance, squeezing a return out of the pitch, which in stifling conditions, was too much for a weak and inexperienced home side.
Earlier, a fearful ticking off from upset skipper Root had elicited a response as the tourists were restricted to an 85-run first-innings lead.
But when it was England’s turn to bat again, the wheels dropped off in spectacular fashion, as the temperament and technique of the top order was fatally exposed.
They were seven wickets down before they eventually passed the total required to even make the World Championship-chasing Kiwis bat again.
With just one wicket in hand and a 37-run lead this morning,
England are staring down the darkest of barrels.
It leaves
Root and his selectors facing a difficult task when
India, also contesting to rule the Test Championship, are the next opponents in the five-day format of the game later this summer.
A raft of injuries and problems surrounding players returning from duty with the Indian Premier League has opened the door to several of those on the England fringes.
But the batsmen – in particular – have simply failed to step up and grasp the chance offered to them. Before the usually boisterous
Edgbaston crowd, filled with the typical collection of fancy dress outfits – crayons, letterboxes, Fred Flintstones and Where’s Wallys – that was a shame.
Particularly as the bowlers reacted well to a finger-wagging from Root to drag England back into a match that had been slipping away from them.
A wayward first hour had passed without much incident, other than dangerman Ross Taylor flaying England’s attack to all parts before drinks came out.
Root was animated, asking for more – and his bowlers did deliver it.
Olly Stone forced an error from Taylor who nicked off behind.
And that was the catalyst for the hosts to discover their mojo.
James Bracey compounded a miserable few days with the gloves as he dropped Tom Blundell who hadn’t scored before Mark Wood’s energy clanked Henry Nicholls on the head.
The next ball took his glove, affording the wicketkeeper the chance to partially redeem himself.
Daryl Mitchell slapped Stone to short mid-wicket and when James Anderson grabbed his first scalp by ripping through Neil Wagner’s defences, England had taken four wickets for 44 runs after Root had let rip.
The Kiwis were eventually dismissed with just an 85-run advantage.
That should have set the stage for a reset – instead it was simply carnage.
Rory Burns went second ball, nicking off.
Dom Sibley soon followed, caught at slip off the same bowler, Matt Henry.
Zak Crawley fell leg before and Ollie Pope performed his usual trick of flattering to deceive before falling in similar fashion as the man before him, only to Wagner.
Dan Lawrence fell second ball, nicking behind to a jubilant Wagner (left) before Bracey played a horrible sweep shot and was cleaned up by spinner Ajaz Patel.
Root had been watching this from the other end and was forced to trudge off dejectedly himself after a faint edge to the keeper off Patel ended any hope England had of reaching a defendable target.
Mark Wood swung from the hip, before doing so once too often. And Stuart Broad, sadly a walking wicket these days, played and missed at a straight one.
By this time, even the crowd had been battered into submission.
The feelgood factor of England’s return in front of a paying public has well and truly fallen flat.