What Happened With England At Gabba Doesn't Surprise Me, Says Michael Vaughan

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Former England captain Michael Vaughan is not at all surprised with everything that happened with the tourists in the first Ashes Test at The Gabba. He stated that there is a pattern with England's batting that provides hope, only to collapse in a heap. After being 147 all out in the first innings, England ended day three at 223/2. But on day four, the tourists crashed to 297 all out, setting a 20-run target, which was completed by Australia in just 31 balls.

"I thought that might happen. It happens a lot to this England side where you get a load of hope and, before you know it, you're done and dusted quite quickly. Everything that's happened this week just does not surprise me. You kind of have hope that things can be different and they'll get it right because they've got so much talent in the team, but fundamentally against the best teams, this is what England do," Vaughan was quoted as saying by foxsports.com.au.

"If you look at it over the past few years, when they've played the better teams -- Australia, India, New Zealand; it happened in the summer that we've just had, it happened against Australia in 2019 - this England side, they have horrendous sessions," added Vaughan, the 2005 Ashes-winning captain.

Vaughan fears if England doesn't win the day-night Test in Adelaide, they put themselves at a risk of ending the series winless, something which has happened in the last two trips. "I do think for England's mentality and the way they play the game, they have to get ahead of the game, they have to win days one and two because there's always the chance Australia, in their own backyard, will come back on days three and four. You don't play catch-up in Australia with this English side, you have to get ahead of the game."

"Whatever the pitch gives them when they arrive in Adelaide, they've got to react and pick the best side for it, whoever it may be, whoever it may be, whoever you're dropping is irrelevant, it is who you are picking and which XI you think is the best XI. Don't think about Melbourne, don't think about Sydney, don't think about Hobart, England have to win at Adelaide Oval. If they don't win the day-night game this has got exactly the same story written over it as the last few times England have visited Australia."

Vaughan blamed England for left-arm spinner Jack Leach's lack of confidence, saying the visitors did not give him ample game time in home summer. "It looks like the Aussies knew that Jack Leach had not played any cricket and is a vulnerable player in the side. Because he's not been picked and, in your own mind as an individual when you've been in and out of the side because the team hasn't trusted you to play since you've had such a good winter in Sri Lanka and India, he's clearly in that vulnerable position and Australia targeted him brilliantly."

The 47-year-old signed off by saying he won't be surprised if Leach is dropped at Adelaide. "I'm always a believer that you need variation. If you've got five bowlers in your attack, surely four-seamers can do the job. If you're asking for a fifth then your four-seamers haven't bowled well enough. It wouldn't surprise me if England went without the spinner and pack the batting, picked another batter, and played four seamers."