Nasser Hussain Advises Improving England’s Poor Batting on Slow Pitch Exposed After Loss Against South Africa

June 22, 2024 0 968

As pointed out by Nasser Hussain, England’s batting crumbled against South Africa’s slow bowling, raising concerns about their adaptability in the T20 World Cup.

Former England captain Nasser Hussain slammed England’s batting display after their disappointing defeat to South Africa in the T20 World Cup Super Eights.

England’s chase of a modest 164 unravelled early, with their top order crumbling to 61/4. While a fighting partnership between Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone provided hope, it was not enough to avoid a narrow defeat. This loss puts England’s qualification for the semifinals in jeopardy.

Hussain, writing in the Daily Mail, was particularly critical of England’s inability to adapt to the slower pitch in St. Lucia. He pointed out their struggles against spin bowling compared to their dominance against pace earlier in the tournament.

“No batter likes it when the ball stops in the pitch a bit, but my one concern about England is that their players really like facing balls with pace on, as we saw against the West Indies earlier in the week,” said Hussain.

“England’s batting woes were laid bare on a pitch that demanded better technique. Their preference for facing fast bowling seems like a weakness waiting to be exploited, especially with a potential semifinal against India in Guyana looming,” added Hussain.

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“Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone showed they can cope with coming in during the middle overs and put the foot down straightaway, but despite England playing good cricket, they failed to get over the line,” wrote Hussain in his column.

Hussain further criticised England’s bowling attack, particularly their decision to open with Moeen Ali against the in-form Quinton de Kock. De Kock’s quickfire 49 exposed England’s bowling deficiencies early on.

“South Africa, on the other hand, is showing a newfound resilience in winning close games. This might be a wake-up call for England if they want to salvage their World Cup campaign.” concluded Hussain, appreciating the Proteas’ efforts in the game.