Ashes 2021-22: I'm Not Sure Why England Bothered Picking Chris Woakes In Adelaide When They've Got Mark Wood – Ricky Ponting
Published - 18 Dec 2021, 02:27 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 01:02 AM

Legendary Australian captain Ricky Ponting has questioned the decision of the England National Cricket Team to pick pacer Chris Woakes ahead of Mark Wood in the Ashes 2021-22 day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval.
Speedster Woakes was ineffective in the second Ashes Test and he picked only one wicket in 23.4 overs quota and gave away 103 runs.
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Meanwhile, Pointing speaking to cricket.com.au said that all-rounder Ben Stokes was given only one job to bowl back-to-back bouncers. He elaborated:
“It looked to me as if Stokes was given one job, to run in and bowl bouncers ball after ball, When he finally got the chance to bowl at a new batsman and pitch the ball, he got a wicket second ball to (Cameron) Green. Woakes was ineffective again – I’m not sure why they bothered picking him in Adelaide when they’ve got Wood there.”

Pointing said that the inclusion of Wood in the team had provided England with more variations and Stokes could have bowled like a normal seamer which is his strength. He said:
“To me, Wood would have given them a lot more variation in their attack and then Stokes could have pitched it up and bowled like a normal seamer, which he’s good at, and Wood could have taken the role Stokes had.”
Apart From The Short-ball Plan Stokes Executed, England Didn’t Seem To Have Much Of A Plan – Ricky Ponting

Former Australian captain criticised England captain Joe Root for not planning things and over depending on Aussies to make mistakes. He elaborated m:
“Apart from the short-ball plan Stokes executed (on the first day), England didn’t seem to have much of a plan after that, It was run in and bowl back-of-a-length and wait for the Aussies to make mistakes.”.
“Well, when you’re bowling to two of the top three batsmen in the world, they’re not going to make mistakes. You’ve got to find a way to get them out and change things up.”
On Day 2, Australia scored 473-9 before declaring and England lost two early wickets and were 17-2 at the end of the second day’s play. The start of Day 3 was pretty good for England as Dawid Malan and Joe Root scored good runs but they eventually got out.
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