Vaughan goes at England’s Ashes hopefuls again with Tiger Woods jibe | Cricket | Sport
Michael Vaughan has used comparisons to golfing legend Tiger Woods and football manager Thomas Tuchel while scrutinising England’s build-up to the second Ashes Test against Australia. The visitors head to The Gabba in Brisbane seeking redemption following their defeat in Perth.
England suffered a crushing eight-wicket loss in the opening Test at the Optus Stadium – which was wrapped up inside just two days – leaving Ben Stokes’ squad with plenty to ponder. The captain has been forced to make one alteration to the England side, with Will Jacks replacing the injured Mark Wood.
The tourists’ match preparations during the Ashes series have come under criticism from several pundits and ex-players. The second Test will see a pink ball deployed in a day-night encounter at The Gabba.
An England XI faced a Prime Minister’s XI in a two-day day-nighter in the lead-up to the second Test. Yet notably, none of the players who featured in Perth’s opening Test participated.
Vaughan has criticised England’s preparations for the Brisbane clash – drawing peculiar parallels with golfing icon Woods and England men’s football manager Tuchel.
Speaking on Stick to Cricket, provided by The Overlap and Betfair, Vaughan said: “The more I think about what England have done to prepare for this; if Thomas Tuchel goes to the World Cup next year, and say the first game is in Orlando and a week out he gets asked about the quick pitch and he says; ‘Hi Thomas, how’s your team prepared?’
“Then Thomas says; ‘Well, this week, we’re going to bring a load of our reserves over and we’re going to play a game of football but we’re going to play on a pitch that’s got really long grass and will be slow, and I tell you what, we’re going to play 45 minutes instead of 90’. What would happen?
“It’s like if Tiger Woods goes to The Masters and says he’s prepared by going on the crazy golf and got a couple of shots through the windmill and I’m ready. It is similar.
“I just don’t think England have given themselves the best chance. They’ve had two days of Test match cricket and have three days off which they didn’t put in the budget. The next Test is a pink ball game where Australia have only ever lost one pink ball Test match.
“Mitchell Starc has just got 10 wickets here and is a wizard with the pink ball. Am I so old-school to suggest that by playing a game of pink ball cricket to prepare yourselves to play a pink ball game is professionalism.
“I feel that if they don’t play in that game, there’ll be four or five players that, if they don’t play that game, they’ll arrive at The Gabba to play a pink ball game for the first time in their career. That can’t be right.”
