Former England Opener Andrew Strauss feels that England Skipper Ben Stokes wasn’t proactive on the Day 1 of the much-awaited second test ashes of the series. The 31-year-old could not inspire his team on the field as the Australian batter dominated the proceeding on Day 1.
Winning the Toss, the England team failed to capitalize on the overcast conditions in Lord’s, as the England pacers leaked runs in the second and third sessions of the day, as the Australian batter was proactive throughout the day as they were putting the bad balls to the boundaries.
Speaking on Skysports Cricket, Andrew Strauss feels that Ben Stokes’s attitude was bitted down on Day 1, as he was not proactive on the field to try different things when things were not going on his team’s way on the much-anticipated game in the Lord’s and believes that England bowlers wanted things to happen as they did not put in the efforts to pick up the wickets.
“Usually Stokes is very proactive, trying different things, prising the batsmen out. I suppose his attitude today was ‘Let the pitch do it for us’.
“There was enough for that to be a sensible tactic. The problem was England’s bowlers expected it to happen and perhaps didn’t put enough into it,” Andrew Strauss said on Sky Cricket.
Australian team is well on the top after the end of the Day 1 play, as the Baggy Greens are 339-5 at the day play. With David Warner, Travis Head scoring an attacking half-century taking on the England bowlers and star Australian batter Steve Smith putting in a sensible performance to remain unbeaten on 85* alongside Alex Carey, as they will look to extend the lead on Day 2.
England Seamers Will Be Bitterly Disappointed As They Had A Great Opportunity – Andrew Strauss
Andrew Strauss believes that England Bowlers could not bowl in the right line and length to trouble the Australian batters in their initial phase of the game and added that English seamers will be disappointed to be able to dismiss Australian batters at the end of the Day 1, with conditions favouring them on Lord’s.
“I thought they were a little wayward and looked like they lacked a bit of zip. They will be bitterly disappointed as they had a great opportunity and they fluffed their lines,” Andrew Strauss added
Debutant Josh Tongue was only the impressive pacer for the England side for the 1st session as he troubled the Australian batters, with them managing to play the experienced duo Stuart Broad and James Anderson, who were expected to pick off wickets on the conditions that helped seam and swing bowlers, as both the bowlers went wicketless on the day’s play.