Former England star Kevin Pietersen has launched into the current team for “acting like they’re the greatest team around” even though they aren’t backing up their big talk with actions on the field.
He has called on England to start “walking the walk” after the likes of Ollie Robinson, Jimmy Anderson and Zak Crawley had plenty to say before the Lord’s Test but they dropped their bundle in the dramatic second match of the Ashes series before and after the controversial Jonny Bairstow dismissal on day five.
Pietersen also thinks legendary seamer Jimmy Anderson should be dropped for the Headingley Test which starts on Thursday to get Mark Wood into the side.
“If you’re going to talk the talk, you have to walk the walk, and this England cricket team isn’t walking the walk,” he wrote in a column for a UK bookmaker. “They’re acting like they’re the greatest team around, but they’re currently on course to be the first England team to lose at home to Australia since 2001.
“Leading into Headingley, all of this need to stop. The pressure that they’re putting themselves under by speaking that way and using that language is unnecessary. It’s not helping in any way, shape, or form.
(Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)
“I said a lot of things in my career, and I put myself under a lot of pressure, but I was able to walk the walk. England are not walking the walk.
“When they get their foot on the throat, they will absolutely push and push and push to destroy you. That’s how they play this sport. They have that mongrel in them.
“They couldn’t have asked for more perfect conditions [at Lord’s] to deliver a resounding defeat. So, for Australia to win, and almost very convincingly if it wasn’t for Stokes’ hundred, was damning.”
Joe Root has become the latest current player to double down on England’s criticism of the Bairstow stumping, suggesting Australia’s players risk being remembered for the incident after their careers.
Root added more fuel to the fire for what is expected to be a heated third Test at Leeds. In a lengthy press conference, Root claimed England would never have appealed for that kind of stumping during his five years as Test captain.
But he saved the most direct advice for Australian players, while clearly still upset over Alex Carey dismissing Bairstow after the English batsman walked out of his crease.
“As a player it’s (about) how you want to play the game, how you want to be remembered,” Root said. “And that’s up to each individual. As a team, we want to play our cricket a certain way and want to leave a certain legacy.
“I try and put myself in that situation and position and I would like to think I would have dealt with it differently.”
Root’s comments come after Stuart Broad made similar remarks to Carey during play on day five at Lord’s, before the quick also criticised Australia in a Daily Mail column on Tuesday.
England’s reaction has prompted accusations of them being sore losers in Australia, with headlines such as “Cry Babies” and “BazBawl” splashed across tabloids.
A point Root is not overly impressed with. “Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Everyone will see it very differently. As a player you have to play the game how you want to play it,” Root said.
“It was within the rules, it was technically out. If you’re happy with that, then fine.
“If you’re not, I don’t think you can (criticise) other people who play the game slightly differently.”
Root also rejected Australia’s suggestion Bairstow had attempted to stump Marnus Labuschagne in similar fashion earlier in the match at Lord’s, after the Queenslander left a ball in the first innings.
“If you look at the footage, Jonny didn’t gain any advantage by doing what he was doing (when batting),” Root said.
“As a batter you are fully aware when you are batting out of your crease that you are gaining an advantage.
Pat Cummins celebrates taking the wicket of Joe Root. (Photo by Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty Images)
“Whether it is covering different angles or trying to take modes of dismissal out of the game.
“(That’s different to) scratching a mark at the end of the over and walking to the other end.”
Despite that, Root has called for calm at Headingley this week after the ugly scenes in the Lord’s long room on Sunday, with the Yorkshire crowd renowned for being one of the harshest in the country.
“Support England,” he told them. “You’re coming to support your nation, it doesn’t need to go beyond that. Everyone should be able to enjoy the cricket.
“Come here to support your team, do it to the best of your ability and we will play to the best of ours.”
PeteB
Roar Rookie
The English team and the entire English country risk being remembered for exactly what they are. A pack of whingers. Time to grow up and own up to their own mistakes and failings instead of deflecting blame onto others. They are just embarassing themselves in front of the international cricket community and the entire population of the world.
Loosey
Roar Rookie
They should be talking about how for this upcoming test, they've read up on the laws of the game and will make sure there isn't another embarrassing cock-up.
Loosey
Roar Rookie
It's an MCC members tie.
Loosey
Roar Rookie
More piffle. Keep digging boys, that grave must be awfully deep by now. Root's 'gaining an advantage' defence is nonsensical as historical footage shows Bairstow stood over the stumps waiting for the batsman to lift his foot to whip the bails off in another video doing the rounds. In that case, the batsman was off balance, not 'gaining an advantage'. I guess injured players will have to stay on the ground from now on as leaving to seek treatment could be interpreted as 'gaining an advantage'. Gaining an advantage within the laws of the game is how you win! When will they stop making stuff up to justify what was an ill-thought out, hysterical overreaction to a play perfectly within the rules?
AR
Roar Rookie
Wiki: "stop cherry picking your evidence." Also Wiki: "for my next point, let me refer to something I saw on a cricket pitch in 1981."
Wikipetia
Roar Rookie
Ps you could have just asked me. Feels like you are sooling? I hope not.
Wikipetia
Roar Rookie
And if you go back and watch the footage of the Dhoni and Bell incident, you will hear a certain Shane Warne say it’s wrong, Michael Atherton say he deserved it, and David Lloyd, opener umpire and commentator of great decency, capture my position, he was a dozy git but it still isn’t wrote to dismiss him that way. I saw Brad Hogg say it was wrong to stump Bairstow. And Atherton say it was right. I am just telling you this because you obviously care what others more influential than you think. Great. Me, I worked out what I thought 45 years ago when my under 14s experience was a bit different to what I hear people talking about on here. I apply it consistently. I don’t care who likes it. I think I’m right. You think you’re right. So stop hiding behind others who are paid to have an opinion. And, or probably or, stop cherry picking your evidence.
Dan
Roar Rookie
I think you’re going to find more bogans in the English team TBH, maybe with the exception of Travis Head who obviously revels in it ????
Dan
Roar Rookie
I heard the moral ashes were designed by the company that made the emperor’s new clothes
Riccardo
Roar Rookie
STOP TALKING! Concentrate on the little battles contained within a huge Test for this England Team. In BOTH Tests England had moments and opportunities but it was Australia who triumphed by sticking to their strengths and winning, within the law too, you muppets. The argument around doing it differently, however valid, is now meaningless. Pietersen is a tool, but he's right.
Ben Pobjie
Expert
What did GChappell Sarfraz and Javed do in the current Ashes series? Must’ve missed their intervention.
Wrecked 'em
Roar Rookie
Let’s be honest. The poms are spewing because they’re embarrassed. They’re embarrassed because they still think we’re a bunch of bogan convicts and they were outsmarted. Which of course makes them a bunch of embarrassed, boorish, classless - and beaten - hypocrites.
SteveO
Roar Rookie
Most definitely,insufferable in commentary as well.However I agree with him here.
AR
Roar Rookie
Wikipetia must be disgusted at the line up of England captains - Hussein, Atherton, Morgan, Pietersen etc - who are calling out the nonsense coming out of the England camp. Clearly they know nothing about ‘Spirit’.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
Yep, as I've previously stated, both correct. Move on.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
Sure, understand that, but my point is this stuff has been back and forth since at least body line, and I can guarantee you that claiming the high ground and charges of hypocrisy will change ends forever into the future of the fixture. It's the nature of things. There will be no ultimate winner. So why not just put the kettle on and enjoy the newly spiced comp. Unless, of course, outrage is your thing.
Sydneysider
Roar Rookie
"Just celebrate we have a proper Ashes now with real spice" actually just celebrate that there is an actual competitive test series, because you only have to go back 6 months to the 2 test series held in Australia which were uncompetitive and had no competitive tension. the next summer of cricket looks just as non competitive with Pakistan and the Windies touring again. should be happy to see a competitive series. After all that's what the big 3 of Australia, England and India have created within the ICC - take all the money and leave the other nations to take the scraps.
sven
Roar Rookie
not too often u can agree with what KP comes out with, but he is spot on here. i really wish we hadnt got bairstow in the way we did, same as i wouldnt be happy if the aussies engaged in some of the questionable tactics the poms & saint baz have. that said the hypocritical carry on from the poms & their press is astonishing. be interested to see how the next test pans out, the poms were mouthy enough prior to the first two, heres their chance to "walk the walk" to quote KP. perhaps we get pat to promise that by 2033 he will in a speech somewhere apologize to bairstow & the poms, that may spare us from further sanctimony from these paragons of virtue in st baz & the english choir boys (sounds like a 70's gospel band). it least theyve gone quiet on telling us how they plan to "save test cricket", that plan seemed to vaporise during the game interestingly.
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
Clinging to the shreds of her dignity, Brittania despises having to concede the upper hand in anything to the vile colonists. But for the imperialists to claim moral or ethical superiority in anything, is risible and contemptible. They gave team sports to the world and feel affronted that they're no longer the best at very much. Croquet? Tug-of war?
The Barry
Roar Guru
Root querying Australia’s integrity? Marnus wasn’t batting outside his crease. The video below shows his back foot behind the crease, he lets the ball go and then he drags his back foot and takes a step forward. He wasn’t gaining any advantage, yet Bairstow still had a throw at the stumps England’s team motto should be “oh yeah… but that’s different”. Absolute hypocrites https://www.news.com.au/sport/cricket/did-jonny-bairstow-attempt-dubious-runout-on-day-3/video/11c6888fb21d30455351248c872360a7