Former England opener Sir Geoffrey Boycott hit out at Ben Stokes and Co. over their insipid performance in the opening Ashes Test against Australia to lose by eight wickets in Perth. The tourists’ batting collapse after lunch on Day 2 proved costly, and Boycott came down hard on them, questioning their reckless approach. Ad England were leading by 49 runs before the start of play on Day 2 and bowled Australia out for 132 to take a 40-run lead in the first innings. At lunch, England held a lead of 99, with nine wickets in hand, but collapsed to 164 all out with a target of 205 set for the hosts. Travis Head, who opened the innings, thrashed an 83-ball 123 as the Aussies gunned down the target with eight wickets to spare, taking a 1-0 lead, on the second day itself. Ad Trending Writing in his column for The Telegraph, Boycott claimed few can take this England team seriously due to their inability to ram home the advantage. He warned that the visitors would regret it unless they can mount a comeback in the remainder of matches. He wrote: “Before this series started Ben Stokes told the world that any ex-player who criticised them or had a different opinion were ‘has-beens’ebecause Test cricket had changed and the past was irrelevant. Ad Well, from this has been the message is simple: when you keep throwing away Test matches by doing the same stupid things it is impossible to take you seriously. They never learn, because they never listen to anyone outside their own bubble, because they truly believe their own publicity. “Now it has bitten them in an Ashes Test, the biggest challenge of all and unless they mount a spectacular comeback, they will regret it for a very long time.” Ad Visiting captain Ben Stokes admitted that Head’s aggressive approach left him shell-shocked and the bowlers were left searching for answers. The left-hander made his fifty off only 36 balls and needed only 69 deliveries to reach his ton. “Travis Head was smacking him about as if he was a spinner” Sir Geoffrey Boycott on England pacer Boycott also observed that Jofra Archer looked in his elements in the first innings but Head flattened him in the second, leaving him jaded. He elaborated: Ad “England’s fastest and nastiest bowler Jofra Archer in the first innings bowled some fearsome balls that leapt at the batsmen from a length making life uncomfortable for everyone who faced him. This time he could hardly raise a gallop. His pace was down and in no time at all Travis Head was smacking him about as if he was a spinner. Only two days and two innings into this series and with four Test matches to go, Jofra looked jaded. He could not get up to top speed. It was embarrassing to watch Head standing like a baseball batter and smashing him around the park.” The second Ashes Test in Brisbane, a day-night affair, begins on December 4. × Feedback Why did you not like this content? Clickbait / Misleading Factually Incorrect Hateful or Abusive Baseless Opinion Too Many Ads Other Was this article helpful? Thank You for feedback Follow IPL Auction 2025 Live Updates, News & Biddings at Sportskeeda. Get the fastest updates on Mega-Auction and cricket news Edited by Sankalp Srivastava.
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“They truly believe their own publicity” – England batting legend blasts visitors over crushing eight-wicket loss in Ashes 2025-26 1st Test
