“[Australia] Resembled a school team” – Mark Butcher reacts as Australia outplayed by England on Day 2 of 4th Ashes Test

Former England opener Mark Butcher criticized Australia’s performance in the field as England dominated Day 2 with the bat in the ongoing fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford, Manchester.

The 50-year-old compared the visitors to a school team, as the hosts piled up 384/4 (at stumps) in response to Australia's 317.

The veteran questioned the Pat Cummins-led bowling unit as Zak Crawley (189) first shared a 121-run partnership with Moeen Ali (54) for the second wicket. The opening batter then added 206 runs for the third wicket with former England captain Joe Root (84) to take England into the lead. The trio took all the Australian bowlers to the cleaners.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Butcher said:

“[Australia] Resembled a school team. Following the ball around, not being able to stick to one plan or another, not being able to bowl two deliveries in the same spot. England just gave them the run-around.”

Former England captain Nasser Hussain believes that Cummins failed to lead from the front when the visitors needed him the most. The 55-year-old said on Sky Sports:

“Often when you look down on the Australian side historically, you know who the captain is, whether it be Taylor, Border, Ponting Waugh. If you look down today, there will have been a lot of cricketers waving their arms around trying to help their captain.”

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Ashes: Dinesh Karthik explains the relevance of Nathan Lyon in the Australian bowling unit

Dinesh Karthik, meanwhile, explained the importance of off-spinner Nathan Lyon, who has been ruled out of the last three Tests due to injury.

The 38-year-old Indian cricketer said that it’s tough for the pacers - Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood - to keep bowling a barrage of short balls. Australia left out available off-spinner Todd Murphy, whose absence from the playing XI raised several eyebrows. The wicketkeeper-batter told Sky Sports:

“When (Lyon) is around he does the holding job in the first innings on pitches that don‘t have so much spin. So, with him not being there, it will be really tough on these three bowlers to keep coming back spell after spell and throw in a bit of short ball barrage as well.”

At stumps on Day 2, England were 384/4 after 72 overs, with Ben Stokes (24 off 37) and Harry Brook (14 off 41) at the crease.

Australia are leading five-match Ashes series 2-1.

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