Wisden editor gives scathing assessment of England Ashes defeat
England were “clumsy, reckless and legless” on their dismal Ashes tour in Australia, according to the editor of the prestigious Wisden Almanack magazine.
Ben Stokes’ team lost 4-1 in the match due to poor performances on the field, sloppy preparations and allegations of a drinking culture.
Lawrence Booth gave his damning assessment in the influential editor’s notes of the 163rd edition of the Almanack, published Thursday.
“England arrived determined to make history for the Ashes and ended up laughing it out of town,” Booth wrote.
“England were incompetent, reckless and legless. A trip that should have defined an era that Brendon McCullum described as ‘the greatest drama of our lives’ turned into amateurism. What a waste. What a shame.”
“In the long history of the game, it is difficult to think of a privilege so carelessly squandered, a chance so gleefully spurned. A successful attack on Australia requires blood, sweat and tears, not trickle, dribble and flicker.”
England Test captain Stokes, head coach Brendon McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key have remained in their positions following a review into the Ashes series conducted by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
Booth said England should have made a statement much sooner about an incident involving white-ball captain Harry Brook on the tour to New Zealand before the Ashes.
Brook had been punched by a nightclub bouncer on the eve of a one-day international in Wellington in October, but the altercation did not come to light until it was reported in the Telegraph following the fifth Ashes Test in January.
“Three weeks before the Perth Test was enough time for Brook to come to terms publicly and remind the players that they had (well-paid) jobs in Australia,” Booth said.
“Four years after England’s previous Ashes misfortune sparked headlines about drinking culture, it was all depressingly familiar.”
