Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen was visibly unhappy with the Ben Stokes-led England side's approach to the second Test of the Ashes at Lord’s. Stokes won the toss and opted to bowl first in the overcast conditions but English bowlers could not take a single wicket in the first hour and a half. Pietersen during the break due to rain interruption did not hold back his words as he questioned England bowlers’ intent.
“From an English perspective, it’s absolutely shambolic. You have overhead conditions, a wicket that suits your bowlers and you got bowlers running in at 78, 79, 80 miles an hour," Pietersen said.
"Now, it’s one thing walking here, swanning around and saying, ‘Hey, this is a wonderful team to play in, we are creating the best environment,’ but this is not Ashes cricket. I’ve played Ashes cricket. I’ve played 30 Test matches against Australia.”
Pietersen was not pleased with England players not taking the field before the openers came out to bat.
“You know Australian players [openers] were outside to bat before the English bowlers. The English bowlers this morning should have been on those stairs, saying, ‘We desperately wanna bowl out Australia.’ These two Australian batters are out there waiting for England."
"They [Australian batters] are the ones who should have been in the room saying, ‘No, no! Hold on, we don’t wanna bat,’ and, it’s all too easy and nice,” he added.
Pietersen recalled the aggression Michael Vaughan showed in the iconic Ashes 2005 when England retained the urn. He wanted the England coach Brendon McCullum to give the players a hammering during the tea break as Australia had 190/2 on the board.
“Are you telling me, Ricky Ponting, in 2005 is going to be talking to Geraint Jones? Do you think Michael Vaughan is going to be standing next to Justin Langer, saying, ‘Hey, mate! What a cool day! Look at this, it’s overcast, beautiful. What an awesome day. I mean environment here at Lord’s, what do you think of the wicket?’” the 43-year-old asked.
“Are you joking? I just hope they are in their dressing room and the England coach is giving them the biggest hammering and saying, ‘It’s not good enough.’ You cannot bowl that here today. You can’t have these conditions, declare for 393. Do you think Australia [are] declaring today? No chance,” he further added.
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