Everything England have done since arriving in Melbourne for the Boxing Day Test has been wrong

THE definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. England must be insane. They are getting it all wrong, writes Russell Gould.

ENGLAND picked the wrong team, chose the wrong tactics, and fielded like a team longing for the next plane home in a torrid first session at the MCG which only rammed home how bad they really are.

Their problems didn’t begin at the toss however, but days ago when they decided to persist with spinner Moeen Ali, who couldn’t turn a tennis ball right now, and Stuart Broad who has now not taken a wicket in 70 Ashes overs.

not sure why Moeen Ali is playing as @davidwarner31 smashes him for six, could not turn a corner in a maze - yes he's that bad right now #Ashes

— Russell Gould (@gouldyheraldsun) December 26, 2017

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

England must be insane.

To make just one enforced change, Tom Curran in for Craig Overton, with the series gone and so many players underperforming is indicative of an outfit with its head in the sand.

David Warner of Australia hits Moeen Ali of England for six

There was the loudest internal scream of “NOOOOO” from captain Joe Root when he lost the toss, for the first time this series, and knew his bowlers were in for a torrid day on a pitch that looked like a suburban driveway.

It was flat people.

But batsmen can still make mistakes if the bowling is good, and the fielders are in the right spot.

The bowling was sort of OK, and there was a brief period where the English attack produced four maidens in a row.

But if that’s a highlight, well, good luck.

And there were so many fielding moves, Root was more traffic cop than captain.

When David warner smashed Ali for six, in the over before lunch, the critics couldn’t wait for the break to let loose.

Everything England have done so far in Melbourne has been wrong.

Originally published as Everything England have done since arriving in Melbourne for the Boxing Day Test has been wrong