Millions of dollars go missing as Ashes fan’s screen says it all

An Ashes spectator’s phone screen has brutally summed up England’s embarrassing display with Aussie cricket set to lose millions.

Cricket Australia is set to lose millions as England “Bazball” their way into oblivion this Ashes series.

The tourists fell apart on Day 2 of the first Test in Perth on Saturday with Travis Head guiding Australia to an eight wicket victory, having been given a tricky total of 204 to chase.

England imploded after looking comfortable at 1/65 in their second innings, bowled all out for 164 from just 34.4 overs.

Cricket historians were reaching for their record books as England were rolled twice inside two days, having lost 20 wickets in the space of 405 deliveries.

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It was England’s quickest double collapse in 121 year of Test cricket, dating back to the Sydney Test in 1895.

The Perth Test became the first Ashes contest decided within two days since 1921.

Only Head, who hammered 123 from 83 balls, saved the test from falling into complete farce.

The crowd in attendance were treated to one helluva show as 32 wickets fell in 847 balls.

But the much bigger concern for Cricket Australia is that those with tickets for Day 3 or Day 4 of the Test won’t get to watch a show at all.

Thanks Bazball.

It has been estimated previously that lost days of Test cricket are a $2 million gut punch for Cricket Australia. The cost for broadcasters Fox Cricket and Channel 7 would be significantly more painful.

Everybody in cricket is feeling the negative impacts of England’s Bazball blitzkrieg, even our poor friends in the Barmy Army.

The photo screen of one English supporter at Perth Stadium on Saturday said it all as Ben Stokes’ men shot themselves in the foot.

No English team has won an Ashes series on Australian soil after going down 1-0 since 1955. Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

“Cricket not looking good. Will be home Tuesday morning. Have moved my flight,” one member of the Barmy Army was seen typing in a test message, as recorded by Aussie sport commentator Josh Garlepp.

It won’t be a laughing matter for Cricket Australia (CA), coming off a blockbuster 2024-2025 Indian Test series where the organisation still recorded an $11.3 million loss.

If England keep swinging for the fences without being able to adjust to tricky, changing conditions across four more venues this summer, Cricket Australia will be the ones that are hurt the most.

An early finish to the Perth Test 12 months’ ago was a multi-million disaster for Cricket Australia.

The national body also reported a $31.9 million loss for 2023-24.

This weekend’s result will be even worse for the bottom line of all stakeholders.

Channel 7’s ability to command premium advertising rates for three more days of cricket has gone up in smoke.

The thing saving CA is that the current broadcast deal with Fox Cricket and Seven, worth $1.5 billion, runs through to the end of 2031.

With Bazball and the natural impact T20 batting techniques are having on the game, CA may be selling a quickly diminishing product when it comes to negotiate its next broadcast deal.

Cricket Australia’s bean counters will be England’s biggest supporters for the next four Tests.

Cricket traditionalists are grieving five-day cricket more than anyone

The stubborn battle between ball and bat is not what it once was.

There have been no shortage of English cricket greats that have gone public in desperately beseeching Stokes and McCullum to change their swashbuckling philosophy.

Sir Geoffrey Boycott has penned a scathing column in the UK press, writing he can no longer take this current England team seriously.

“They never learn, because they never listen to anyone outside their own bubble, because they truly believe their own publicity,” Boycott wrote for The Telegraph.

“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.

“It is simple. Brainless batting and bowling lost England the match.”

Mitchell Starc was on fire. Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

That's not a great look. Photo: X and @JoshGarlepp.

He shared his disbelief at the sight of Ollie Pope driving at a Scott Boland delivery outside off stump, which took an edge and flew through to Aussie keeper Alex Carey.

“How can he not realise it is a sucker ball tempting him to do something daft,” Boycott wrote.

He reiterated widely expressed criticisms that England, under the leadership of Stokes and McCullum, are a one trick pony without the skills required to ride the rollercoaster of Test cricket’s ups and downs.

“Why was the England captain, Ben Stokes, allowing this to carry on? Once Head got momentum England lost the plot and then got sucked into bowling bouncer after bouncer,” Boycott wrote.

“Yes, they had some success in the first innings at the Australian tail but as a bowler and as a captain you have to be flexible. Difficult moments in a match call for batsmen, bowlers and captains to think on their feet. Sadly, our guys have only one way of doing things.”

Former England captain Alastair Cook also criticised England’s failure to adapt in a column written for The Times.

“I get the theory that you had to be attacking, but you can be attacking in different ways,” Cook wrote.

“You have to be smart enough to adapt and England weren’t in this Test.”

He went on to write: “England need to find a way to bat for longer.

“In this Test they managed just under 68 overs, which even on a pitch that is helpful to the bowlers is not going to be enough to win a Test.”

Over in India, there is proof that proper Test cricket still has a heart beat.

At stumps on the first day of the second Test between India and South Africa in Guwahati, the tourists reached 6/247 with a run rate of 3.01 per over.

Proper Test cricket.