"Ripping up the way cricket has been played" - Michael Vaughan slams England's one-dimensional batting in the 2nd Ashes Test

Former cricketer Michael Vaughan tore into England for their irresponsible and one-way batting in the first innings of the second Ashes Test at Lord's.

After bowling Australia out for 416 in their first innings, England were in a position of strength at 188/1. To make matters worse for the visitors, Australia lost star off-spinner Nathan Lyon to a calf injury in the final session of Day 2.

Yet, the hosts fell right into the short-ball trap set by the Aussie bowlers despite the pitch flattening out and squandered a golden opportunity to grab a first-innings lead. England were bowled out for 325, losing their final nine wickets for 137 to hand Australia a valuable 91-run lead.

Speaking to Cricbuzz at the close of play on Day 3, Michael Vaughan said:

"This England team are trying a method that's almost ripping up the way cricket has been played before. It works when the ball is pitched up and not moving laterally . But when you see a tactic against you that's so obvious, the skill is to throw away the ego. Instead England tried to play a method that wasn't possible against that quality of bowling."

Despite losing Nathan Lyon for the second half of the innings and potentially for the rest of the series, Travis Head picked up two wickets, summing up England's dismal showing.

"To rub a bit of salt in the wound, Head gets two wickets with Nathan Lyon not there. England have had a really bad day and all day and all the Test match conditions have been in favor of England but Australia just play with great attrition and skill," added Vaughan.

England are on the brink of going down 0-2 in the best-of-five series should they lose the Lord's Test. Only once has a team come back from 2-0 down to win an Ashes series- Don Bradman's 1936-37 Australia.

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"England have fallen straight into the trap" - Michael Vaughan

Ben Stokes' dismissal early on Day 3 triggered an English lower-order collapse.

Michael Vaughan also felt that England are on the verge of losing the second Test as well in trying to make Test cricket more entertaining.

The 2005 Ashes-winning skipper remains baffled by England's inability to seize control from 188-1 against the visitors missing their best spinner.

"The Ashes is different. So far, the first Test England lost despite entertaining cricket. Here on day 2 they got into the contest at 188-1 and the best off-spinner in the World is off the field so Australia are down to 10 men and an obvious tactic is created and England have fallen straight into the trap," said Vaughan.

England's Bazball theory saw several batters take on the short-pitched deliveries by the Aussie pacers and throw their wickets after solid starts. It has led to the hosts' bowling attack being on the field at different parts of all four days.

Australia are currently in control at 130/2, with a lead of 221 runs and a well-set Usman Khawaja and first-innings centurion Steve Smith batting at stumps on Day 3.