Ashes 2023: Former players criticize Australia for their defensive opening day strategies: Former cricket players have criticized Australia’s defensive strategies used against England on day one of the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston in particular. At day’s end, Australia was 14/0 after England declared their first innings at 393/8, with Joe Root scoring 118 not out and Jonny Bairstow and Zak Crawley each scoring fifties.
Pat Cummins’ first delivery of the day was smashed to the boundary rope by Zak Crawley to start the Ashes 2023. But it was Cummins’ field placements that shocked onlookers, such as laying a deep point in the opening over and having four fielders on the boundary ropes when Nathan Lyon was introduced into the attack.
“They immediately went on the defense. I have to say that as a beginning place, I’m not a big admirer of that deep backward position. Batsmen never experience any pressure if the scoreboard is always moving forward, according to former Australia captain Ricky Ponting.
Brett Greeves, a former fast bowler, expressed similar opinions.
The first ball of the Test match was sent by world No. 3 bowler Pat Cummins to Zak Crawly, who from an English perspective has been under pressure, and it was a deep backward point. This worried me.
He provides a little bit of width, Crawley pounced, and although it was a stunning shot, it really set the tone for the day. Although I don’t mind using a deep backward point as a technique, Greeves told SEN Radio that there needs to be a Plan B or a Plan C.
“Your first move needs to be to say, ‘I’m Pat Cummins, the third-best bowler in the world, and I’m not giving you any power right away.’ You must gain my respect and earn my permission to make a salient point, and you will do that by taking chances, he said.
Due to Australia’s defensive strategies, Crawley quickly reached 61 off 73 balls before being caught by Scott Boland.
“You can’t change to Plan A after trying that defensive Plan B and having no luck. You can’t say, “Okay, we’re going to Plan B, which is to bring up a deep point,” when Crawley is 45 off 40 balls.
Then you turn to Plan C, which involves bumpers and creative, unusual fields. I was therefore really disappointed in Australians. The Australian way is not like that. We are the best bowling offense in the world, Greeves continued, despite our defensive strategy of handing the initiative to the opposition and allowing BazBall to terrify them.
Former England players were also taken aback by how swiftly Australia became defensive on day one.
It sounds somewhat un-Australian. Usually, fire is used to battle the fire. On BBC Test Match Special, former England captain Alastair Cook observed, “I’ve never seen Australia with four men on the boundary.
“Australia has made a mistake, but from the standpoint of England, it is great to see Australia so defensive. I just wish Pat Cummins had said, “OK England, give it a shot,” on the first morning of an Ashes series. It’s okay with us. Hit us for six fours; a few sixes won’t be an issue. After that, we’ll execute plan B. I believe they immediately resorted to plan B,” former captain Kevin Pietersen on Sky Sports.