Legendary English batter Geoffrey Boycott came down heavily on Ben Stokes-led England for not making winning a priority and getting carried away with the ‘Bazball’ approach in the Ashes 2023 series opener against Australia.
England first made a bold move and declared their first innings at the score of 393/8. Australia in reply notched 386 on the board. With a lead of seven runs, England kicked off their second innings with an intent to pile a huge target for Australia but their ‘Bazball’ approach fell flat as they could only post a target of 281 for Australia to chase. Australia began a rain-delayed Day 5 on 107/3, however, Australia's chances of winning the match depreciated as things went ahead which saw the WTC 2023 champions get reduced to 227/8. But Australia captain Cummins and Nathan Lyon, launched a fightback and sealed victory on Tuesday with an unbeaten 44. The dazzling duo stitched a match-winning partnership of 55 runs off 72 balls for the ninth-wicket with Cummins and Lyon chipping in with 44 off 73 and 16 off 28 respectively.
Boycott blasts England
Stokes' men did play an aggressive brand of cricket under Brendon McCullum coaching but ended up on the wrong side of the results. Geoffrey while lashing out at England said that Ben Stokes' brigade is in danger of reducing the Ashes to an exhibition series.
"England are in danger of reducing the Ashes to an exhibition," Boycott wrote in his column for 'The Telegraph'.
"England have got carried away with Bazball and seem to think entertaining is more important than winning. But England supporters want one thing more than anything else -- to win the Ashes. The legendary cricketer said winning is more important than entertaining. Scoring fast runs, whacking lots of fours and sixes is lovely. It is great. But only if England do not lose sight of the big prize which is to beat Australia. If at the end of the series Australia go home with the Ashes we will feel sick, regardless of how much we have been entertained," Boycott added.
The 82-year-old also claimed that the fierce rivalry between England and Australia will lose its importance if Ben Stokes' men don't play to win.
"If England are not playing to win then these Ashes Tests are not that important. They are only exhibition matches. They have got it back to front. It is not about entertaining and then winning. It is about winning first. By all means entertain but cricket is like chess. There are moments when you need to defend. Sometimes you need to be patient and accept it.
"Do not just attack, attack, attack. England need a bit of common sense and pragmatism. That is all that is required. They do not have to change being positive because they are a better side than Australia and will win if they just show that common sense," he added.
England's batting great also feels England were guility of not capitalising on their chances despite dominating the match.
"England outplayed Australia in nearly every session at Edgbaston but lost. When they are on top, be ruthless and not sloppy. We kept getting ahead of Australia and then letting them back in by being careless. They are in danger of letting hubris be their downfall ... It would be sad if playing exciting cricket for a year is going to their heads. They gave Australia a get out of jail free card. I find that silly," Boycott's scathing column read.
"Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum have rightly received a lot of praise for the way they have changed the attitude around the England team but playing just one way is not using your brain. If we are more interested in praise than winning then we have it wrong. I and many ex-players think this England team have the beating of these Aussies. But do not waste that talent and commitment by letting it go to your head,” Boycott concluded.
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