“Don’t understand the techniques I am witnessing” - Nasser Hussain slams England after batting collapse

Former England captain Nasser Hussain has lashed out at the Three Lions' batting line-up after they capitulated against New Zealand on Day 3 of the Edgbaston test. Hussain questioned the techniques of the batters and their ‘idiosyncratic movements’.

The hosts collapsed to 122 for 9 in their second innings in Birmingham, and are staring at a certain defeat, with a slender lead of 37 runs. Mark Wood top-scored for England with 29 while Ollie Pope made 23. No other English batsman could reach the 20-run mark.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Hussain criticized the England batters for a pathetic show. He opined:

‘It was just an abject batting performance. It is like they are reinventing the wheel. They have all these odd techniques and idiosyncratic movements. In county cricket, they are all standing on off-stump and flashing at balls outside off. It’s like everyone else is wrong — all those great players of the past, people like Sir Viv Richards and Graham Gooch — and they are right.”

The former skipper pointed out that while England were undone by spin in India, there was no such excuse playing at home. He added:

“These days everyone seems to want to get their left leg out of the way but if they know what they’re doing where are the runs to back that up? In Sri Lanka, Joe Root carried them. We were told that the problem in India was that the ball spun but we don’t have the excuse of the pitches turning here. I just don’t understand the techniques I am witnessing.”

A number of England batsmen like Rory Burns, Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope have adopted unorthodox batting methods. However, the results have been far from effective.

A disappointing day with the bat. #ENGvNZ

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 12, 2021

New Zealand and England batting like chalk and cheese: Nasser Hussain

While England’s batsmen have tried to go the unconventional way, Hussain praised New Zealand for sticking to the basics and playing proper Test cricket. He further said:

“Compare them to those of New Zealand, who are committed to orthodox Test match batting. It’s just chalk and cheese. Technically gifted, sound batsmen playing the way the game is supposed to be played, New Zealand. Let the ball come to you, leave it well, play it with a straight bat.”

💬 "They are acting like 'everyone else that has played in the history of the game are wrong, and we are right'." 💬@NasserCricket not happy after watching England suffer another batting collapse on day three of the second Test against New Zealand.#ENGvNZ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇳🇿

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 12, 2021

Responding to England’s first-innings total of 303, the Kiwis made 388. England then collapsed to 76 for 6 before some lower-order resistance enabled them to prevent a defeat inside three days.