'Can't mix entertainment with stupidity': Vaughan slams Eng batters for falling to Australia's short-ball ploy
Michael Vaughan slams Eng batters after they succumb to Aus short-ball ploy
England bounced back in style on Day 2 of the second Ashes Test at the iconic Lord's cricket ground, London on Thursday (June 29). However, the day didn't end as well as it could have for Englandsince they were 188 for 1 at one stage, before losing the plot in a jiffy. Australia resumed the day at 339 for 5 as English bowlers dismissed them for 416 and the home side ended the day's proceedings at 278 for 4 after Ben Duckett's 98.
Pat Cummins & Co. resorted to short-ball tactics to get three late wickets on Day 2, dismissing Duckett, Ollie Pope and Joe Root to remain in the contest. Seeing England succumb to Aussies' short-ball ploy, former England captain Michael Vaughan slammed their much-talked-about Bazball approach as they wasted an opportunity to end the day on a high.
'Can't mix entertainment with stupidity'
"I think we've got to be realistic though, we can't mix entertainment with stupidity. Now, for the first 182 runs, I saw an England side that went out to bat and played with great entertainment because they played proper cricket strokes. They played the Australian bowlers, the quicks, with great balance, great scoring options on the front foot, the back foot," Vaughan said while speaking to BBC Sport's Ashes Daily
Also Read: Lord's Test: AB de Villiers gives thumbs up to Aussie skipper Pat Cummins' short ball ploy on Day 2
He added, "I thought Australia offered too many easy options. The ball wasn't doing anything laterally so it was quite nice to hit through the line. The likes of Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope played beautifully. It was great to watch. Pat Cummins, he only had that option to go to because there was nothing happening through the air. There was no seam movement, so he decides to go to the short stuff and what came after that for the next hour was absolute stupidity."
Day 3 of the second Ashes Test is now underway. England have lost skipper Stokes for 17 as Harry Brook-Jonny Bairstow have a task at hand to take the hosts closer to Australia's 416.
Australia have a 1-0 lead in the five-match series after winning the Ashes 2023 openerin Edgbaston, Birmingham, by two wickets.
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