Ashes 2021-22: The Problem Is He Can’t Bat In Test Cricket - Steve Harmison Slams Jos Buttler After Adelaide Test Loss

Former England pacer Steve Harmison tore into keeper-batter Jos Buttler after the visitors lost the second Test of the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 by a massive 275 runs, to go 0-2 down in the five-match series against Australia. They had already been hammered by 9 wickets in the first match in Brisbane.

This match is something that England captain Joe Root would want to forget, as, despite his and Dawid Malan’s efforts, the remainder of England batters didn’t come to the party after the bowlers had conceded 473/9d in the 1^st innings. Root with 62 and Malan with 80 tried their best, but could only help England make 236 in the first innings.

The huge lead was enough as stand-in captain Steve Smith decided to pile on the agony and Marnus Labuschagne added a fifty to his 1^st innings score of 103, as Australia declared for 230/9 and set England a target of 468 to win.

The match for England was done as dusted on the fourth day’s last session, when they lost both in-form batters in Root for 24 and Malan fell for 20 runs.

Jos Buttler Usually Gets Out Around That 20-30 Run Mark: Steve Harmison

While Chris Woakes (44 in 97 balls) and Jos Buttler (26 in 207 balls) tried to delay the inevitable while adding a half-century partnership for the seventh wicket, it wasn’t enough as Jhye Richardson picked 5/42 to rout England to 192 runs to hand Australia a 275-run win and helped them go 2-0 up in the series.

Steve Harmison was critical of wicket-keeper batsman Jos Buttler, who stayed on the wicket for 258 minutes, giving England hope of a miraculous reprieve with a gritty knock that frustrated the Australian bowling attack. However, he got out hit-wicket for the first time in his red-ball career to end his vigil.

Speaking on Brad Hogg’s YouTube channel, Harmison said, “The problem with Jos Buttler is that he does not know how to bat in Test match cricket. Whether to go for it or do what he did today. In space of a month, we’ve seen him score 101 off 50 balls to 28 off 200 balls. He just struggles to find a happy medium of getting in between. He usually gets out around that 20-30 run mark.”

A draw in the next Test match in Melbourne will mean Australia retains the trophy while a victory will seal a series victory for them. For England, they need to win all the remaining Test matches to win the urn back.

Also Read: Ashes 2021-22: Had Fun This Week, Enjoyed Captaincy – Steve Smith After Adelaide Victory