Cricket legend Mark Taylor fears England may need a wholesale review of the country’s operations before the Test team can begin to regenerate.
England has lost the Ashes series already, only three matches in but beaten convincingly in each, and still with two to play.
The first two were bad but this week’s slaughter at the MCG might be the worst. England fought back to be in a winning position on Day 2, only to be rolled for 68 and lose by an innings, the match over before the first break on Day 3.
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“From a cricket point of view (it’s) a bit of a worry, really. England, I don’t know where they go,” Taylor told Wide World of Sports.
“They’ve tried various combinations in their top order but their batting has got so many flaws in it it’s not funny. That’s the worry for them.
“I’m not sure where they turn to from here.
“Australia have got 15 or 20 guys to choose from and at the moment I don’t know who England pick.”
After the Test ended in horror fashion for England, captain Joe Root hinted a review may be needed into how the team sunk so low.
Root said not enough professional players were ready for Test cricket – the longest and best form of the game.
Taylor agrees.
“Something needs to happen, because you’ve only got to look at their batters, you can use that as the benchmark I suppose,” Taylor said.
“They’ve got Joe Root who is world class, but no one else in their batting is world class. The next best in terms of average is Ben Stokes, he averages 36. He’s a world class all-rounder.
“Everyone else is averaging 33 or less, and that includes (Rory) Burns and (Ollie) Pope who didn’t play this game, but they have played more than 20 matches each.
“At the moment England aren’t producing players who are going to average 40-plus, and that should be the yardstick of what you want to achieve.
“The worry is I’m not sure who’s next in for them.”
Taylor is just as concerned about England’s bowling stocks.
“On the other side of it, their best bowler is James Anderson, and he is 39 years old. If he’s your best bowler, why is your best bowler a 39-year-old?” he said.
“I would’ve liked to have seen an England side that had young fast bowlers coming through, and maybe Jimmy Anderson plays the support role.
“But when Jimmy Anderson comes as the main act, at the age of 39, with an average in Australia in the mid-30s with the ball, it doesn’t bode well, and it hasn’t gone that way either.
“England need a total revamp. They need a whole new fresh approach to what they’re doing, starting with some quality batters who can not just occupy the crease but can also play quality bowling.”
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