It was another dismal England performance that handed Australia the 2021/22 Ashes to Australia on a golden platter. The final test finished in a humiliating fashion, as the Aussies ran out 10-56 victors on the third day. It is a grim reminder of how far apart the sides are and with the next test in the Caribbean just a couple of months away, serious questions are being asked of Chris Silverwood and his squad.
The result was almost a guarantee for those familiar with cricket betting, but the margin of defeat is perhaps what is most concerning. Read on, as we take a look at where exactly the wheels started to come off for England as they landed in Australia.
Lack Of Cohesion
You only need to look at the scorecard of the final test to see what dismal reading the whole competition was for England. Losing by 146 runs and failed to win in their last 15 Down Under. There are objectively issues on the side, with the defeat so predictable not only because Australia is such a formidable force, with the likes of Pat Cummins and Travis Head, but England once again be victims of their own hype.
Any outside hopes of an upset were quashed within the first couple of tests, but England fans were hoping the margin of victory was at least respectable, and perhaps even snatch a consolation victory to avoid a total embarrassment. Alas, this is a side that looks overworked and underskilled, with more misery to be bestowed upon them in the future if the Aussies continue on their current path.
Things Need To Change
There have always been discussions about the issues caused by lots of red-ball cricket, and how they affect the England team when it comes down to the Ashes. Whether the reaction is premature or not, it is clearly something Silverwood is passionate about and following the 4-0 defeat at the hands of the Aussies, Silverwood spoke about the fundamental issues with the county championship, stating the game “has to change”.
“You look at yesterday and the whole series and you can’t honestly say everything is alright,” he added. “Sometimes you need disturbance to create change. We have certainly got that.”
Joe Root – A One-Man Team At Times
For such an underwhelming tournament, there was precious little to leave even the most optimistic England fans open-minded for the future of the international game. However, the performances of captain Joe Root were one encouraging part of the competition. Root, perhaps the most stylish batter the English game has seen for some time now, enjoyed a good summer with Trent Rockets in the inaugural Hundred season and has carried his good form into the Ashes — if only the same could be said about his teammates.
Having turned 31 at the end of last year, he is still the man to lead England going forward, and despite such a devastating loss, the side needs to rally around and regroup. With Root as a senior figure that has delivered plenty of test wins in his time as captain, he can be the main to help England dust themselves down and start rebuilding.
“I believe that I am the right man to take this team forward. If that decision is taken out of my hands, so be it,” he said. “I have an appetite to carry on and turn things around.
“At the minute we are going through a real tough stage as a group of players and the performances haven’t been good enough, but I’d love the opportunity to try to turn things around and for us to start putting in performances from an English Test team.”
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