Former English cricketer Michael Vaughan expects England to play cautiously in the second Ashes Test 2023 at Lord’s after a narrow defeat at Edgbaston. He said he loves their Bazball approach, but he’ll be surprised if they don’t get into the next match.
England’s Bazball approach was the talking point of the first Ashes Test. The Ben Stokes-led side continued their aggressive approach and entertained many. They even pressured Australia and were on top of the game for most.
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But after dominating the game for most of the time, England failed to win as the Australian side’s class was too much. With specialist batsmen in the shack, the hosts were heavy favorites to win but skipper Pat Cummins along with Nathan Lyon took responsibility and carried their team over the finish line.
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The focus now shifts towards the third game to be played from June 28 at cricket’s headquarters at Lord’s in London. The big question remains that even after defeat, will England continue to play the same Bazball approach? Skipper Ben Stokes was quite bold and said that they will continue to play the same.
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However, Michael Vaughan feels that not only England but also Australia will change their approach slightly. He noted that even after putting the opposition on the defensive, the team led by Ben Stokes failed to achieve them. Speaking to Cricbuzz, he said:
“I think both teams will change slightly at Lord’s. I think the Aussies won’t be as expansive in the early innings and won’t spread the field. they will tighten a little more. I’d be surprised if England don’t play a bit (cautiously).
Basball, I love it. I love the energy and what it brings. Now it’s all about winning and being a little smarter. When you have an Australian team on the defensive, you have to push them down and nail them even more. England just didn’t do that.”
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Ashes 2023: “I’ve seen him do it many times”, Michael Vaughan on Pat Cummins
Pat Cummins was Australia’s star with both bat and ball. In the second innings he cast a resounding spell and took a four wicket haul helping Australia draw England to a tie for just 273 runs in their second innings, setting himself a target of 280 runs to chase.
With the bat then when Australia needed someone to drive them home and it was skipper Pat Cummins who held their ground. He (44*) along with Nathan Lyon (16*) took over and won the game. The duo achieved a 50+ partnership and helped their team take a 1-0 lead.
Michael Vaughan said he’s seen Pat Cummins do that many times. He highlighted how he switched gears when he smashed 14 runs against Joe Root. He explained:
“I’ve seen him do it many times. His 4-fer in the second innings is what gave Australia a chance to win the Test Match. (He) bowled beautifully into a placid wicket, leading from the front in the first away Test match in an Ashes series.
“Getting your team over the line, that’s very special. Those two sixes from Pat Cummins: he was on the balcony, thinking they were going to look for a draw. He blocked the first two balls from Joe Root. Suddenly, in the stands, something changed.” He concluded.
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