Ashes 2017/18: Joe Root, Alastair Cook Have Done Next To Nothing - Graeme Swann
Former England spinner Graeme Swann has come down heavily on England’s senior players, Joe Root and Alastair Cook accusing them of doing ‘next to thing’ in the ongoing Ashes.
Swann’s scathing comments came after Joe Root & Co. lost the third Test in Perth to concede the five-match series as well as the urn. With just around two sessions left to bat on the last day due to overnight rain, and first innings’ centurion Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow on the crease, England would have fancied their chances, as they began the final day’s proceedings on 132 for four.
However, the writing was very much on the wall when Josh Hazlewood castled Bairstow very early. It was followed by yet another lower-order collapse and although Malan scored a gutsy 54, lack of support from the other end did not help England’s cause. The visitors were eventually out for 218, thus losing the game by an innings and 41 runs.
Swann’s assessment of his compatriots looks pretty much spot on at the moment. The likes of Alastair Cook, Moeen Ali, Joe Root, Stuart Broad have failed to live up to the expectations, and as a result, the visitors are now in danger of being whitewashed once again. The only positive for the visitors so far have been the promising performances from the likes of Mark Stoneman and Dawid Malan.
Speaking to BBC, the former spinner, who was part of the side which famously won the Ashes Down Under in 2009-10, said England entered the series low on strength due to Ben Stokes’ absence.
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“England do have a settled side if Ben Stokes is around but when he’s not, this team came over very weak,” Swann told the BBC.
“The senior guys who you expect to stand up and outshine the rookies have done the exact opposite. Joe Root and Alastair Cook have done next to nothing. The shining lights have been Rocky (Mark) Stoneman and Dawid Malan,” he added.
Swann went on the laud the newcomers and said that he was expecting England to be down 3-0 in Stokes’ absence.
“I’m proud of the way some of the guys have played. Dawid Malan was sensational, James Vince was only dismissed by the best ball I’ve ever seen in a game. There are positives; I expected to be 3-0 down after three games once Stokes wasn’t coming,” he said.
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