England urged to change 'ridiculous' batting approach after day three collapse in Ashes second Test - 'Bazball was never meant to be this'
Published 06/12/2025 at 13:18 GMT
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There will be more introspection for England after another loose batting display left them close to defeat in the second Ashes Test at The Gabba. TNT Sports' Matt Prior gave a candid assessment of the divisive 'Bazball' approach, while Marcus Trescothick insisted England need to "stick to our principles". The tourists trail by 43 runs with four wickets remaining in Brisbane.
Prior: England must ditch 'carefree, laissez-faire' attitude to batting
Video credit: TNT Sports
Matt Prior said England must rein in their "carefree, laissez-faire approach" after another batting collapse left them on the brink of defeat in the second NRMA Insurance men's Ashes Test.
The tourists began their second innings well in response to Australia's total of 511, but more reckless shot choices left them six wickets down and still 43 runs behind at the end of day three.
And former England wicket-keeper Prior made clear his frustration at the batting approach.
"At what stage do you go to them, that's not the shot you play any more?" Prior said on TNT Sports of England's batters.
"We hear a lot about the freedom to go and play their way with flair.
"Go back to when Bazball first started, Brendon McCullum's attitude, that was installed in this dressing room to free batsmen up, people like Ollie Pope, to go and play their natural game.
"I don't think it was ever meant to be this sort of ridiculous statement of intent where you've got to go at seven an over every single session of the game, and have a carefree, laissez-faire approach.
"So now we've gone wholeheartedly the other way. Who steps in and says 'as a batting group we've maybe gone a bit too crazy here, guys? We have to learn how we pull it back - we're starting at one, we're now at five. How do we get back to three so we can bat time and put runs on the board?'"
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Watch: Crawley gifts wicket away as England stutter
Video credit: TNT Sports
Trescothick: England have to 'stick to principles'
England batting coach Marcus Trescothick was quizzed by Prior on TNT Sports after watching more cheap wickets fall in Brisbane, and insisted England must "stick to our principles".
"[We're] fairly philosophical about what we're trying to do," Trescothick said.
"Obviously it's not quite operating as we need to at the moment.
"They [Australia] have been better than us today and dominated and put us under a lot of pressure.
"There's a lot more detail than highlighting one thing. We're trying to score as many runs as we can, to take wickets when we can.
"In certain areas we probably haven't been as good as we need to be for long enough. We're trying to put that right all the time."
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England on the rocks as Brook caught on next ball after surviving DRS
Video credit: TNT Sports
Asked whether England's batters have been working on improving their shot selection, Trescothick said: "Of course we work with them. As coaches, we discuss with them about what we're trying to do and the principle of our style of play.
"You get it right sometimes and we really dominate, and at times we don't get it right and play bad shots. That gets highlighted. It is what it is. You've got to have some way of playing the game.
"We'll look back on it every innings and discuss with batters what we're trying to do, and work out how to make it better for next time. We've got to stick to our principles."
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Highlights: England collapse as dominant Australia close in on victory in second Test
Video credit: TNT Sports
Trescothick managed to maintain some optimism despite England's increasingly perilous position in the second Test.
"You're disappointed, of course you are. You appreciate we're behind in the game," he added. "You've got to try and remain focused and positive. You've still got an opportunity here.
"Yes, we're behind, but we've got to come out tomorrow and try to find a position where we can get a partnership going with the last few wickets and get a total on the board that we can maybe have a little dart at.
"The guys are disappointed, but we're trying to remain focused on how we can win."
Watch every ball of the Ashes live on TNT Sports and discovery+
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