England coach Dunucan Fletcher. Tom Shaw / Getty Images
Australian and English media slammed England's tactics after losing the second Ashes test in Adelaide yesterday, and all but handing the fabled urn back to Australia.
England lost after scoring 551 for six, the largest ever declared first innings total for a team who then went on to
lose the match.
After starting the final day on 59 for one, England lost their last nine wickets for only 70 runs and Australia knocked off its target of 168 with 19 balls to spare.
"From what had looked a safe position overnight – and all through the match, for that matter – they managed to conjure one of the most dispiriting defeats in their long and often inglorious history," Britain's Telegraph.co.uk said.
"…For England to already be 2-0 down in the series, after all the build-up and expectation that preceded it, is an anti-climax of epic proportions."
Australia's Daily Telegraph said the final day was "a savage clash of two contrasting mentalities".
"One side raised the draw bridge, the other tried to storm the castle."
Former England captain Nasser Hussein slated England coach Duncan Fletcher's conservative selection policies in Britain's The Sun.
Hussein singled out the decision to play spinner Ashley Giles ahead of the more attacking Monty Panesar and wicketkeeper Geraint Jones instead of Chris Read.
"His selections have let him down and let England down...There have been no runs and no wickets and Giles dropped a crucial catch.
"The coach has got to get his thinking cap on and work out how to get 20 wickets. It will be a difficult time for Fletcher and a difficult time for England."
Meanwhile, the feeling in Australia could best be summed up by The Age.
"In Brisbane (the first test), arguably, Australia caught England cold. But this was the win that re-established the natural order," it said.
"It was the win that could only have been inspired from within a champion team."
- NZ HERALD
