- By Ankit Bisht
- Fri, 30 Jun 2023 08:00 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
JE Sports Desk: England suffered a horrible start in the opening session of Day 3 on Friday in the ongoing second Test at Lord's. The hosts lost their last six wickets while just adding 47 runs to the scoreboard as their bazball approach came under scrutiny on social media.
Netizens launched all-out attack on Ben Stokes-led side after Australia wrapped England's first innings for 325 and took a 91-run lead. England started their innings from 278/4 and were just able to cross the 300-run mark before collapsing against Australia's bowling line-up.
For Australia, Mitchell Starc bagged three wickets while Travis Head and Josh Hazlewood clinched two scalps each.
Social media users took a dig at England's bazball approach. Check out some Twitter memes here:
The only teamtalk that BazBall needs #Ashes2023 pic.twitter.com/3sL7h67h5N
— Aadam Patel (@aadamp9) June 30, 2023
What Sir Geoffrey Boycott thinks of Bazball #ENGvAUS pic.twitter.com/IrYWWzf9WG
— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) June 30, 2023
"The England fans love the way we play Bazball and entertain"
— Anuj Nitin Prabhu (@APTalksCricket) June 30, 2023
The England fans: pic.twitter.com/rq02iY6iHy
Bazball was meant to be entertaining but in this series it’s just been purely frustrating. Implosive rather than explosive. https://t.co/LSSKYOBrcv
— Marc Chinnick (@marcchinnick) June 30, 2023
Bazball 🤣🤣🤣🤣in losing wickets too
— Rubingovind (@rubingovind) June 30, 2023
Captain Ben Stokes (17) fell to the second ball of the day, swishing at a shortish one from Mitchell Starc only to get an edge on it, with Cameron Green reaching up to his right to take a difficult catch in the gully.
Harry Brook added five runs to his overnight score to reach his first 50 in Ashes cricket, but then tried to swipe another Starc ball down the ground moments later, instead slicing it high into the air to Pat Cummins for a simple catch at cover.
Jonny Bairstow (16) chipped a simple practice stroke off Josh Hazlewood to Cummins at mid-on, and Stuart Broad, Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue all fell cheaply, with even part-time spinner Travis Head bagging two wickets for Australia.
Starc was the toast of the bowlers, however, taking three wickets for 33 runs in the morning, having been hit for 55 without a wicket on Thursday afternoon.
The crowd, having been subdued as the England tail end were methodically dismissed, was almost immediately in raptures at the sight of Stuart Broad recommencing battle with Australian opener Warner, cheering every ball.
But in contrast to England's overly adventurous play, Warner and Khawaja calmly fended off the good balls and punished the bad, taking a four each before making their way back to the pavilion for the break.
(With Reuters inputs)