Sunday 19 July 2015 20:58, UK
England captain Alastair Cook says it was “incredibly frustrating” to suffer such a heavy defeat in the second Investec Ashes Test at Lord’s after the team had performed so well in the series opener.
And Cook said the selectors may have to look at the make-up of England’s top order after they twice got off to very poor starts.
Last weekend England were celebrating a first Test victory in Cardiff and a 1-0 lead in the five-match series but Australia hit back in no uncertain terms at Lord’s, romping to a 405-run success.
And the match ended in humiliating fashion for the hosts as, set an extremely unlikely 509 to win, they were skittled out for just 103 on a wicket which had posed no problems to the Aussies.
“It is incredibly frustrating,” said Cook. “From the standards we set ourselves at Cardiff, over four days there, to not back it up here, and then obviously today was not great at all.
All three aspects of the game which you have to do well at, we didn’t. Australia got ahead from pretty much ball one and they never let us back in.
“Hats off to Australia for the way they bounced back. They put us under a lot of pressure all game and we have not managed to deal with it.
“In Cardiff we did a lot of things very well. Here, we did not do things at all well.
“We did not bowl with the same discipline and the same control as we did there, we didn’t take those catches which we did in Cardiff, and we did not get big hundreds.
“All three aspects of the game which you have to do well at, we didn’t. Australia got ahead from pretty much ball one and they never let us back in.”
England slumped to 30-4 in their first innings before recovering somewhat but there was no way back after they collapsed to 52-5 in their second knock.
It has been suggested that they might tinker with their order, perhaps moving Joe Root up to number three, but Cook is not convinced that is the solution.
“I am not really sure,” he said. “It is something the selectors might have to look at.
“It’s down to the players, I don’t think it is where people bat. People have got to get stuck in and we did not quite manage to do that in this game.
“Over the last few games now, we have been three-down for 40-odd, and it’s hard to always expect the middle order to get us out of trouble.
“That is obviously an area of concern.”
However, the third Test starts at Edgbaston on 29 July and Cook says England are capable of hitting back after a heavy loss, just as Australia did.
“We have to take this on the chin,” he said. “When you lose as badly as this, now it is the character you need to show to bounce back.
“We have got some wonderful players in the dressing room with fantastic records and this is why you play sport, to be tested against the best.
“We have come up short this week and now we need to show character at Birmingham, and I am sure we will do that.
“You always have to remember the state of the series after a defeat like this. It is 1-1 and it is all to play for now.
“The first two days of the next Test are so important. I think we have seen over the last eight days that the side who gets on top manages to stay on top and dominate.
“That is the challenge we have. Credit to Australia for bouncing back and we have to do the same.”
Coverage of the Ashes continues on Sky Sports Ashes with the third Test at Edgbaston from July 29. You can also watch the third Test with a NOW TV Sports Day Pass. Plus, our Ashes Events Centre - the best of Sky Cricket's analysis at your fingertips - is available on our iPad app.
