Geoffrey Boycott is in disbelief as England collapses without a strategy in the “Ashes Test match.”

England fans had a disappointing Day 3 of the second Ashes Test as their team fell short in their chase of Australia’s first innings total of 416. Despite a strong start with Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, and Ollie Pope performing well, England’s batting order collapsed in the last session of Day 2 and the first session of Day 3, leading to a massive 91-run deficit.

On Day 3, England had hoped for stability from Ben Stokes and Harry Brook, who had shown promise on Day 2. However, Stokes fell early in the first over on Friday, and although Brook reached a half-century, he succumbed to a short ball and was caught at cover. England’s downfall came as they attempted big shots off bouncers, falling victim to the Australian strategy of setting up short ball traps.

While England’s aggressive approach aligns with their attacking mindset in Test matches, it drew criticism from former cricketers. A viral video captured Geoffrey Boycott, the former England captain, covering his face in disappointment after Brook’s dismissal. Boycott took to social media to express his disapproval, stating that England’s batting lacked sensible decision-making. He referred to his conversation with former captain Mike Brearley, emphasising the need for better shot selection.

Boycott also pointed out that England’s approach led to missed opportunities, such as Duckett falling just two runs short of a century. He attributed these failures to the team’s relentless attacking mentality, which disregarded the match situation and let ego dictate shot selection.

By the end of Day 3, Australia had extended their lead to 221 runs, with Usman Khawaja remaining unbeaten on 58 off 123 balls. On Day 4 at Lord’s, Khawaja would have Steve Smith as his batting partner, with Australia in a commanding position.