'Go be a professional circus around the world': England legend lambasts entertainment-oriented 'Bazball' ahead of Lord's Test

The highly-anticipated second Ashes Test match between England and Australia will commence on June 28 (Wednesday).

SportsTak

• Wed • 28 Jun 2023

The highly-anticipated second Ashes Test match between England and Australia will commence on June 28 (Wednesday). The Baggy Greens won a pulsating game of cricket at Edgbaston by two wickets and took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. Heading into Lord's, the venue for the second Test, the Three Lions are under pressure to secure a positive result as going down 0-2 would prove catastrophic to their chances of reclaiming the urn.

After sustaining a defeat at Edgbaston, England's 'Bazball' approach came under fire as several former English cricketers criticised current players for prioritising entertainment over positive results.

Speaking on the Vaughany and Tuffers Cricket Club podcast, legendary England cricketer Geoffrey Boycott had some harsh words for Ben Stokes' men ahead of the Lord's Test. The cricketer-turned-pundit said that prioritising entertainment ahead of winning matches should never be encouraged and if so, then the current English side should be 'professional circus around the world.

"I enjoyed the cricket, it kept you on the edge of your seat," Fox Cricket quoted Boycott as saying.

"England were winning every session, but they didn’t win the match, and that should tell them something for the next Test. They lost sight of the fact that the object is to win and then if you want to entertain then yes, by all means.

"But why can’t you win and entertain?

"When you get ahead of yourself – and that’s what England did – they stopped thinking.

"If you’re going to just entertain, they might as well be a circus. That’s it, go be a professional circus around the world.

"If you ask people in England ‘Do you want to win the Ashes, or do you want to entertain and lose?’, I know what the answer will be," he said.

Meanwhile, England announced their playing XI for the second Test on June 27 (Tuesday) and made one change to their side that features in the first Test. All-rounder Moeen Ali, who sustained blisters on his index finger during Edgbaston Test, was dropped from the playing XI. Right-arm fast bowler Josh Tongue was named as Ali's replacement.