An England batting collapse. It’s a passage of play that undoubtedly brings frustration, disappointment and confusion, but it doesn’t shock. It has been an all too common theme in recent years and the problem does not seem to be going away anytime soon.
This week’s third Test at Trent Bridge saw the latest episode. England collapsed from 54-0 in their first innings to 128-9, and eventually 161 all out. What’s more, the superb 169-run partnership between Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes masked another feeble attempt in the second innings by England’s top order to bat long. They were 62-4 at the start and lost 4-10 once Buttler was dismissed, eventually succumbing to 317 all out.
Finally, the county system is another area of the English game that has been criticised. The early schedule, which features matches in April when conditions are usually cold and overcast, offers significant challenges to batsmen who, as a result, are unable to spend enough time at the crease. In addition, it leaves the heart of the summer dominated by the limited-overs formats, perhaps emphasising where the priorities currently lie in English cricket. The lack of first-class cricket played by the current Test players can’t be helping much either.
Where the finger should be pointed remains up for debate. Yet it seems remarkable that we are now becoming accustomed to England, a side backed significantly both financially and in terms of support, suffering another batting collapse in Test match cricket. Something needs to change.
