AUS vs ENG: Days After Mocking 'Bazball', Glenn McGrath Urges Australia To Copy England's Style
Published - 24 Jul 2023, 05:55 PM
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Former fast-bowler Glenn McGrath has urged Australia to take a leaf out of England’s book and be more aggressive during the fifth and final Ashes Test.
With the fourth Test ending in a draw, after rain washed out the entire final day, Australia have retained the urn. Before rain played spoilsport on the final two days of the Test, England were well ahead of Australia in the contest. The home team had taken a mammoth 275-run lead in the first innings and were just five wickets away from a series-leveling win.
Australia are now on the verge of a famous series win. They have not won an away Ashes series since Steve Waugh led them to victory on English soil in 2001. Pat Cummins and his teammates now have the opportunity to end Australia’s long wait for a series win in England.
Glenn McGrath’s advice for England:
With the urn secured now, Australia will have their eyes set on the series win. They need just a draw in the last Test to clinch the series win. And ahead of the final match, Glenn McGrath has asked Pat Cummins & Co. to copy England’s famous ‘Bazball’ tactics and play aggressive cricket.
“I hope Australia take something from the best of England’s style when they turn up in south London and analyse what happened this week,” the former Australia pace spearhead wrote in his BBC column.
“I would like to see them [Australia] be more aggressive. Play with freedom and take to the field without fear. I would rather see Australia lose the last Test by backing themselves, really taking it to England, rather than going down with a whimper,” he added.
Writing further, Glenn McGrath stated that England could have wrapped up the game had they declared their first innings earlier on day three. Australia were on the backfoot right from the start of the Test as England went all out for the win. After bowling out the visitors for just 317, England scored 592 runs. In the second innings, Australia were on 214 for 5 before rain rescued them.
“I have to be honest, England dominated this match. It was their ‘Bazball’ style in its finest form but Ben Stokes’ decision not to declare earlier on day three cost them victory.
“England were 506-8, leading by 189, but Stokes decided to bat long into the afternoon session. Jonny Bairstow’s 99 not out may have been brilliant for team morale but had Stokes pulled out England would have had another 10 overs when the ball was reverse swinging late on the third day,” wrote Glenn McGrath.
Glenn McGrath’s latest remark on Bazball comes just a few days after he had mocked the same. Reacting to Jonny Bairstow’s controversial dismissal at Lord’s, the bowling great had cheekily called it ‘CazBall’, writing: “Bairstow’s dismissal epitomises what we have seen from England in this series. It has been Casual Ball – CazBall if you will, not Bazball.”
