Ashes 2021-22: Alastair Cook Feels Rory Burns Should Have Made A Dive To Avoid Run Out

Updated - 15 Jan 2022, 03:28 PM

Alastair Cook
Alastair Cook. Image-Reuters.

Former England captain Alastair Cook criticised opener Rory Burns for not diving into the crease during his ‘run out’ against Australia.

Burns, who replaced Haseeb Hameed for the final Ashes Test in Hobart, was dismissed without adding any runs to England’s scoreboard.

Marnus Labuschagne runs out Rory Burns

In the second over of England’s innings, Zak Crawley tapped Pat Cummins full length delivery towards covers and called for a quick single. Burns was slow to respond to the call and Marnus Labuschagne directed a pin-point throw at the stumps as the batter felt two inches short of the crease.

Rory Burns
England opener Rory Burns missed his way into the crease just by few inches as he was ran out by Marnus Labuschagne. Credits: Twitter

Rory Burns thought he was going to get home: Alastair Cook

Cook opined that Burns should have made the dive while citing the examples of how Labuschagne and David Warner are quick between the wickets.

The run, I actually think it was on, I genuinely think the run was on. You just see that little bit of lack of trust with the partnership being very new between those two, and Rory not going straight away. And I’d like to see a dive, the desperation of a guy coming back into the side,” Cook told BT Sport.

David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne
Image Source: Twitter

“You’re absolutely convinced that Warner, Labuschagne – and I hate comparing England players to Australian players – would have been full of dust just to make sure they were in.

“I think Burns thought he was going to get home, but it’s a game of inches or centimetres, and I’d like to see desperation. I think there was a single there, albeit a very tight one,” he added.

Burns was dropped from England’s team after he could just aggregate 51 runs from four innings at an average of 12.75. Crawley replaced him in the opening slot as the Kent batter scored 77 in the second innings of the Sydney Test.

After 29 overs on Day 2, England were reeling at 105/5 with debutant Sam Billings (10*) was batting along with Ollie Pope (9).

Also Read: Ashes 2021-22: Watch – Rory Burns And Haseeb Hameed Bat On One Leg In A Practice Session Ahead Of MCG Test

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Rory Burns Zak Crawley