Ian Botham said it wasn’t good enough. Fellow ex-England skipper Andrew Strauss went further.
“I feel sick to my stomach,” Strauss said on Sky Sports 2.
“There’s not going to be much sympathy from the England supporters,” Strauss said after England suffered an eight-wicket defeat on Sunday in the fourth Test in Melbourne to go 4-0 down in the Ashes series.
“We’ve seen this great resurgence (in English cricket in recent years), and to see it in the state it’s in at the moment is hard to take. It’s all pretty depressing.”
As England head to Sydney in a bid to avoid defeat and stop Australia recording a 5-0 sweep, former star allrounder Botham was shaking his head at the tourists’ batting collapse of 179 all out in their second innings.
Leading by 51 on the first dig, England only managed to set Australia a target of 231 to win.
“Three wickets for one run at the top of the order yesterday, five wickets for six runs later on… It’s just not good enough,” Botham said on Sky Sports 2.
“The batsmen have come out and looked like they’re scared to play a shot.
“There’s no pressure put on the Australia bowlers. Nathan Lyon on a wicket that’s not turned — five for 50? You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Another former England skipper Michael Vaughan said on Twitter: “4 games and 4 hammerings against a Good but not Great Aussie team…”
England captain Alastair Cook, who played in Andrew Flintoff’s side which was crushed 5-0 Down Under in 2006-07, said this one was hurting more.
“Especially as I’m captain as well,” Cook told his post-match news conference.
“A lot of questions are always asked when you lose lots of wickets in clusters.
“You have all these meetings about building partnerships and you know the first 20 runs of a partnership are crucial but the bottom line is that the players aren’t performing out in the middle.
“The part of this game that makes it even more frustrating is that we got ourselves into a good place to put some pressure on Australia: 100 ahead and no wickets down in the second innings.
“I suppose that might be where we are as a side. When you’re winning games of cricket, you get yourself in a good situation like that and you really take advantage of it.”
Cook said he was totally responsible as captain for his side’s defeats.
“At the end of this series, if the selectors decide that I’m not the best man for the job, then so be it,” he said.
“It would hurt.
“I have no plans of going anywhere, I am desperately trying to use much of my experience of playing 100 Tests to help turn this team around.
“If someone decides there’s a better man for the job, I have to take that on the chin.
“In a strange way, I’m enjoying the job — I’m enjoying the challenge.”
Tony Loedi
Roar Guru
I've lost all respect for Botham as a cricket expert. Firstly how could he tip england 5-0 when in England they were lucky to win 3-0. And thats in there backyard, obviously it was going to be a lot harder over here. Secondly he obviously doesn't rate Lyons performance as he said the wicket wasnt turning but didn't he see the drift Lyon was getting? Lyon bowled really well. I can't respect any of these Pommy so called experts.
Tony Loedi
Roar Guru
Warnes comments are spot on though. Cook is a tactically poor captain. Apparently he is good off the field but he has really been shown up on it by Clarke. But England have no other options to captain them so they will have to hope Cook gets better.
Straight Ball
Guest
Cook exposes himself by talking about 'all these meetings about building partnerships', as if such gabfests could actually mean anything. Any cricketer who thinks having meetings about whatnot can actually improve whatnot on the field is a fool. If a player can improve it is a matter of him improving, nothing more or less. A helpful word in the ear one-on-one might help, on the other hand, might not. These guys have spent the best part of their lives working on their skills, they are not primary-school kiddies to be herded together at play-lunch and given a talking-to.
up in the north
Guest
Yeah Warnie has been super harsh. Good players don't mean good commentators, he should have toned it down a bit. But everyone was critical of Cooks tactics all series, so I guess the criticism is well founded.
Sideline Comm.
Guest
I feel a bit for him too. There's all these ex-English skippers laying it on thick, but has one of them picked up the phone and tried to give him advice? Has the coaching staff talked strategy with him, or is he all alone out there with a rebellious team and no idea? I guess we don't know, but one thing's for sure, Shane Warne needs to show some professionalism and stop ripping into the bloke's captaincy every time he sees a microphone.
Wozza
Guest
Gotta feel for the bloke!! Gunna be like a kid being sent to the principals office for six of the best on the plane going home , only the pain will last a lot longer ...