Follow UsEngland’s woes in the 50-over format continued on September 4 (Thursday), as the Three Lions slipped to their sixth series loss in their last seven bilateral series.
After getting absolutely obliterated in the first ODI against South Africa at Headingley, England suffered a close five-run defeat in the second game at Lord’s. It’s a game England could easily have won, but the defeat means that the Three Lions have lost 21 of their last 31 ODIs, proving to be a shadow of their former dominant self.
Retired England bowler Stuart Broad reckoned that the hosts have looked like ghosts in the ongoing South Africa ODIs, especially because plenty of their multi-format players, such as Ben Duckett and Joe Root, have already been run into the ground due to the schedule. He urged the management to rest them immediately.
“Now that you’ve lost the series, I’d be half-tempted to send Ben Duckett and Joe Root up the M1 instead of down to Southampton,” Broad said on Sky Sports.
“They played 25 days of solid, hard cricket against India in a Test series, two days later straight into the Hundred. Now they’re playing a white-ball series, and the winter is only getting busier, so I think there are some jaded minds. I’ve not seen Ben Duckett not find the middle of the bat for as long as that in any form of cricket.”
Broad opined that the entire English team looked like they did not have an ounce of energy in them, unlike an electric South Africa.
“I suppose we’re not quite sure what the game plan is, but I think the group is just tired,” he said.
“I look at the body language in the field, and the bowlers, and it felt pretty flat compared to the energy that Tristan Stubbs brings to the group, or Brevis brings to the group.”
The third ODI will be played in Southampton on September 7 (Sunday).