A lot has been said and written on England cricket team’s aggressive approach with the bat in Test cricket which is in stark contrast with age-old practice of patience. While many have shown their support for what has come to known as Bazball, there have been high profile ex-cricketers who have been quite skeptical about England’s style.
Former England captain Michael Atherton has criticised the team’s all-out aggression as reckless.
“If you go back to last summer, England’s approach is one of calculated aggression,” Atherton said on Sky Sports. “Here, it seems to be all-out aggression, no matter what. They were just the wrong side of reckless in that innings, and this morning in particular with the dismissal of Harry Brook. Even Eoin (Morgan) who I reckon is kind of the spiritual godfather of ‘Bazball’ might have thought that that was slightly reckless.”
Australia put up a solid total of 416 runs, thanks to Steve Smith’s brilliance with the bat. The former Aussie skipper scored 110 in the first innings. Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue and Stuart Broad combined for nine Australia scalps.
England though ended up conceding a significant lead.
Australia dismissed their hosts for 325 in the first innings.
Harry Brook scored a fifty on Day 3 after Ben Duckett scored a quickfire 98.
A three-wicket haul from pacer Mitchell Starc and a couple of wickets each from Josh Hazlewood and Travis Head helped Australia take a 91-run lead.
Australia ended the third day’s play at 130/2.
Usman Khawaja completed his half century in the second innings and the southpaw is currently unbeaten on 58. Steve Smith is batting at the other end on six runs.
The visitors currently have a lead of 221 runs. Pacers James Anderson and Josh Tongue have so far claimed one wicket each for England in the second innings.
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