Brad Hogg, the former Australian spinner, has advised England to alter their playing style and refrain from adopting a Bazball approach on Day 3 of the second Ashes 2023 Test in the absence of Nathan Lyon, in order to counter the formidable team led by Pat Cummins.
Nathan Lyon, the off-spinner, sustained an injury in the 37th over on Thursday. At that time, England had reached a score of 188/1. However, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, and Joe Root subsequently lost their wickets to short balls, leaving the score at 278/4.
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In a tweet on Friday, Hogg emphasized the absence of Lyon and urged England to seize the opportunity to gain the upper hand against Australia. He suggested that they should focus on batting for a longer duration and wearing down the pace attack, rather than employing the aggressive Bazball approach. Hogg emphasized the need to adapt and capitalize on the situation to establish a favorable position for the rest of the test match and series.
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Following the wickets, England made some adjustments to their approach. Although Harry Brook maintained a strike rate of 88.24, skipper Ben Stokes adopted a more cautious batting style. It is worth noting that Australia possesses part-time spinners in Travis Head, Steve Smith, and Marnus Labuschagne, which could potentially play a role in the game.
Hogg’s suggestion highlights the significance of adapting strategies based on prevailing circumstances and the opposition’s strengths and weaknesses. By advocating a more patient and resilient approach against Australia’s pace attack, he aims to provide England with a chance to gain control in Lyon’s absence and set the tone for the remainder of the test match and series.