Follow UsEngland looked to continue their attacking brand of cricket in the first Ashes Test in Perth, but it backfired as they succumbed to an eight-wicket loss. The match was over in two days, and many questions have been asked about the strategy employed by Ben Stokes' side on a tricky surface.
Former Australia captain Aaron Finch has offered friendly advice to the England batters, stating that they don't have to smash every ball into the fence and can afford to leave a few alone.
“You don’t have to hit every ball for four. You’re allowed to leave it, and that’s what was so disappointing. I think about the way that England went about their innings is they’re driving on the up at Perth," Finch said on ESPNCricinfo.
"You can invest half an hour, an hour, or a session into your innings and then get rewarded later on. You don’t need to be rewarded in the first 10 minutes of a Test match. You can grind them down; there are five days."
Another former cricketer, Callm Ferguson, who was part of the same conversation, revealed that he was always told to give an extra 20 minutes at Perth. He believes that is what the teams should follow in Brisbane as well, given that it will be a day-night Test.
“Well, that was what we were always taught in Australia when you went over to Perth to play. Give yourself an extra 20 minutes, and the Gabba with a pink ball will probably be pretty similar. But they have got to learn as quickly as possible here," Ferguson said.
England will hope to bounce back in Brisbane in the second Test, which will get underway from December 4 (Tuesday).