‘Brainless Bazballers’: Geoffrey Boycott calls England flat-track bullies after Pakistan series loss


Former England cricket Geoffrey Boycott did not mince his words as he criticised England’s abject batting display against spin in the Test series loss to Pakistan in Rawalpindi.

After England’s batters totalled a record 823/7 decl. at a run-rate of 5.48 on a flatbed Multan pitch, resulting in an innings victory over the hosts, Pakistan resorted to rank-turning strips for the second and third Tests of the series.

The Englishmen only added 814 runs in four innings as Pakistan rode on a twin-spin attack led by Noman Ali and Sajid Khan to script a dramatic comeback 2-1 series win.

“If you want to be rated a great batsman, you must have a rounded game and score runs on all types of pitches,” Boycott wrote in his column for The Telegraph.

After 19 Tests this ICC World Test Championship, the Test side helmed by head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes has only won nine games.

Festive offer

Labelling the batting group as ‘brainless Bazballers’, Boycott wrote: “They are entertaining and fantastic to watch because you never know what they are going to do next, good or bad, but Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum want their team to be the best. Unfortunately they are wasting their opportunity and risk being remembered as flat-track bullies unless they make some adjustments for conditions.”

“The saddest thing is that England do not play in India or Pakistan again on spinning pitches for nearly three years…It was annoying to hear the England players saying after the Pakistan series defeat: “That’s how we as a group play,” Boycott lamented.

England also conceded a 3-1 series defeat on their trip to India earlier this year, with the batting crumbling against a potent spin attack. Boycott was particularly critical of skipper Stokes, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope’s techniques against spin.

“For two Test matches our batting was pathetic against spin. In India earlier this year the batsmen were weak and easily spun out.

“As soon as the ball grips Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Harry Brook and Stokes are all at sea. They go at the ball with hard hands and there are gaps between bat and pad,” Boycott added.

England’s WTC cycle will conclude with a three-Test series in New Zealand in November-December with Stokes’ men all but out of reckoning for the final for a third successive edition.





Source link

Related Posts

India Open: How Viktor Axelsen went through an emotional rollercoaster ride to a ‘very, very special’ title

Late night on Saturday, Viktor Axelsen emerged from a tough old battle against Jonatan Christie in the semifinal at the India Open, and told the media: “I am a human…

Coach Irwansyah: ‘Want PV Sindhu to play with much more speed and power, believe she can improve though she’s 29’

PV Sindhu has seen a fair share of rotation when it comes to who sits behind her on the coaching chair over the years. So much so that, just at…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You Missed

Magnus Carlsen lost to 9-year-old from Bangladesh? FIDE Master claims so, but there is a catch

  • By Haren
  • January 19, 2025
  • 0 views
Magnus Carlsen lost to 9-year-old from Bangladesh? FIDE Master claims so, but there is a catch

‘VIP Guests Given More Importance Than Pilgrims Walking Miles’

  • By Haren
  • January 19, 2025
  • 0 views
‘VIP Guests Given More Importance Than Pilgrims Walking Miles’

India Open: How Viktor Axelsen went through an emotional rollercoaster ride to a ‘very, very special’ title

  • By Haren
  • January 19, 2025
  • 0 views
India Open: How Viktor Axelsen went through an emotional rollercoaster ride to a ‘very, very special’ title

Frequent Elections Hinder Development, Impacts Economy: Ram Nath Kovind

  • By Haren
  • January 19, 2025
  • 0 views
Frequent Elections Hinder Development, Impacts Economy: Ram Nath Kovind

Coach Irwansyah: ‘Want PV Sindhu to play with much more speed and power, believe she can improve though she’s 29’

  • By Haren
  • January 19, 2025
  • 0 views
Coach Irwansyah: ‘Want PV Sindhu to play with much more speed and power, believe she can improve though she’s 29’

Kho-kho nurtures Olympic dreams for 2036, a 100 years since it showed up as Demo sport at Berlin Games of 1936

  • By Haren
  • January 19, 2025
  • 0 views
Kho-kho nurtures Olympic dreams for 2036, a 100 years since it showed up as Demo sport at Berlin Games of 1936