Former Australian Test captain Ian Chappell has questioned whether England has “the heart for the fight” after a listless display in the final session of Day 2.
After clawing their way back into the match with a flurry of wickets, a weary bowling attack leaked runs after tea as Australia finished the day with a 196-run lead with three wickets still in hand in its first innings.
England’s lack of fight after squandering a number of chances throughout the day left Chappell fearing that the tourists could be whitewashed down under yet again, as they did during the 2006-07 series.
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“If England don’t bounce back quickly in Adelaide, then you’ve got to be thinking 5-0 to Australia,” he told ABC Grandstand.
“You’ve got to see the heart for the fight from England, and that’s what we haven’t seen.
“We didn’t see it when England batted, apart from a little bit, and we didn’t see it as things started to fall apart with the bowling.
“That’s what’s always bothered me about this England team [and] it still bothers me.”
Chappell lamented the way England “fell away” after seemingly getting themselves back into the match when Cameron Green was dismissed for the duck with the score on 5-195.
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“When Green got bowled, you were thinking England were right in this and if they could polish off the last half of the Australian innings in a hurry, that would have us thinking, ‘Yes, England might have the heart for the fight’,” he said.
“From thereon, they really fell away. Travis Head took advantage of England’s loss of form in that last hour or so, and that’s where Australia really gained an advantage.
“That poses the question: Do England really have the heart for the fight?”