English assistant coach defends ‘reckless’ Bazball after disastrous Day 3 at Lord’s

England assistant coach Jeetan Patel was sent out to face the music against a brutal UK press after a horror day three for the Poms at Lord’s.

English assistant coach Jeetan Patel in the press conference after day three of the second Test at Lord's.

The English cricket team have come under fire from all comers after captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum’s swashbuckling ‘Bazball’ approach failed in heartbreaking circumstances at Edgbaston in the first Ashes Test.

One might expect circumspection from the English in light of that, but it seems the Poms are committed to doubling down.

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After a horror day three at Lord’s which saw England capitulate from 2-188 to 325 all out, with their last six wickets falling for 46 runs within half a day, assistant coach Jeetan Patel was sent out to justify the tactics in front of a furious English press.

English assistant coach Jeetan Patel in the press conference after day three of the second Test at Lord's.

The English team have come under constant criticism for an approach that had won them 11 of their 13 Tests under Brendon McCullum, with a team branded revolutionary coming into the Ashes now labelled careless, aloof and reckless by many fans and critics.

However, Patel made out a staunch defence of his charges in the post-play press conference, saying that his team want to “push boundaries”.

“No one said it was reckless in New Zealand, no one said it was reckless when Joe Root was playing the reverse sweep, so like I said, our guys want to entertain,” Patel said.

Patel defended Harry Brook’s dismissal, backing away from a barrage of short-pitched bowling, attempting to hit a tennis-like forehand slap back down the ground from two feet outside leg stump, only to pop the ball up in the air for a regulation catch at cover for Cameron Green.

“I think Brooky’s option was to take that. That was the only place he was going to hit four to maybe switch the momentum over,” he said.

Harry Brook’s shot was the hot topic of the day’s play. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

“We‘re about trying to soak up pressure and apply it where we can. Part of trying to apply that was to get them off that (short) length, which is obviously tough to score.”

“We‘ve seen in the last year this is how this team operates and wants to get better and better and wants to push boundaries, wants to break more records.

“I think part of that has been having the courage enough to be able to go ‘right, let’s see how far we can take it’. I think that’s the most important thing.

“Some of the most skilful players in the world are up in that dressing room and they‘re desperate to show their skills off. Part of that is not getting it right all the time.

“That’s the way cricket works. Two teams out there, two very good teams, that want to win an Ashes series.

“The people that do pay 150 pounds to get into this ground, that‘s what they want to see and I think that’s what we’re trying to show.

“If we get on the right side of this or we don‘t, it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter in my mind anyway. What does matter is how we go about it.

“I think we‘re trying to put them on the back foot but some parts of this game have gone our way and some haven’t. Tomorrow is another chance for us.”

Patel had a distinguished career for New Zealand alongside now-England coach Brendon McCullum. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

England came under significant pressure after everything possible went wrong on day three, with legends and press alike lining up to take shots at the side.

“Love how England have played in the last 12 months. But seriously, this is farcical batting,” tweeted BBC reporter Henry Moeran.

“On the one hand, Harry Brook made 50, but on the other hand, that is a f**king stupid way to get out when you’re still 120 behind in the first innings of a Test match,” Brydon Coverdale tweeted.

“England clearly like losing,” former England captain Michael Vaughan said on the BBC.

“Seeing a player play a shot like that, it’s just not good enough at this level,” Vaughan said.

“This is stupid cricket from England. I fear they have forgotten the art of soaking up periods of the game that aren’t easy,” he wrote.

“Test cricket is a test and in that test sometimes you have to soak up pressure. They have gifted wickets to Australia, who are without their off spinner.”

Australian cricketer Glenn Maxwell replied to former national team coach Darren Lehmann on Twitter, remarking: “You might’ve not let me back in the changerooms if I had’ve gotten out like that,” referring to Brook’s dismissal.

The third Test continues for the fourth day’s play on July 1 at 8pm AEST, with the Australians firmly in the box seat with a 221-run lead and eight wickets in hand.