'Pure Stupidity..': England Legend's Explosive Remark on Ben Stokes' Team, Says 'They Clearly Like Losing'

After England lost six wickets on Day 3 of the second Test of Ashes 2023, for just 47 runs, Ben Stokes’ side came in for some stinging criticism from former England captain Michael Vaughan. The England great held no prisoners as he claimed that Stokes and Co. clearly ‘like losing’ and called the batsmen’s approach ‘stupid’.

After dominating Australia in the second and third sessions of Day 2, the English side finished play on 278/4 following Ben Duckett’s knock of 98 runs. The England opener was extremely unlucky to get out two runs before a century, but his dismissal showed why Vaughan was frustrated by the English players’ show with the bat.

Having lost Nathan Lyon to an injury on Day 2, and with no help as such from the surface at the Lord’s Australian bowlers decided to go route 1 and bowler bouncers and short balls which did the trick.

On the first session on Day 3, England folded for 325 runs, when at one point, they looked like they could have easily gone past Australia’s first inning total of 416.

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Ben Stokes, Harry Brook were all guilty of playing reckless shots and giving away their wickets all too easily.

Following Brook’s dismissal, Vaughan made his frustration clear as he vented in fury.

“Shocking shot. England clearly like losing,” Vaughan was quoted as saying by DailyMail.

“Yesterday they gifted Australia three wickets. They arrive on day three, the pitch is doing a bit more. To see that wicket and Australia now know they are bowling to the tail,” he added.

Having led England to an Ashes win back in 2005, Vaughan lashed out at Stokes’ side and their ‘Bazball’ approach saying that there’s a difference between ‘entertainment’ and ‘stupidity’.

“England need to be realistic. They cannot mix entertainment with stupidity. For the first 188 runs, England played good cricket with proper shots. Australian bowlers got no help as the ball was not doing anything, so they resorted to short balls. What came next was pure stupidity,” the veteran said.