“England’s Batting Was End Of Term, Gung Ho, Slapdash..” : Mark Butcher Slams England

Mark Butcher, the former England cricketer, has criticized the English team for their reckless batting during the third Test against Sri Lanka, which concluded recently.

Despite England winning the three-match series 2-1, they suffered a significant eight-wicket defeat at The Oval—their first loss to Sri Lanka on home soil in a decade and only their fourth ever.

In the match, England began strongly, reaching 221 for 3 but collapsed to 325 due to their overly aggressive batting approach. Sri Lanka responded with 263 runs, and in their second innings, England was bowled out for just 156. Sri Lanka successfully chased down a target of 219, led by Pathum Nissanka’s impressive century (127 not out).

Speaking on the Wisden Cricket Podcast, Butcher expressed his frustration with England’s performance, describing it as “slapdash” and “gung ho.” He pointed out that England had previously adopted a more pragmatic approach, which they abandoned in this match. “They played as though the victory was a foregone conclusion,” Butcher noted, emphasizing that England’s batsmen should have adapted to the match situation instead of taking unnecessary risks.

He praised Sri Lankan bowlers, particularly Lahiru Kumara and Vishwa Fernando, for their excellent spells, which included dismissing key players like Joe Root and Harry Brook. Butcher lamented that despite England’s efforts to reduce risky play, they still ended up losing despite being in a strong position.

In the first innings, Ollie Pope and Ben Duckett made significant contributions with 154 and 86 runs, respectively, but Sri Lanka’s bowlers, especially Milan Rathnayake, who took 3 for 56, played a crucial role in restricting England.

In the Sri Lankan innings, a partnership between Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis helped stabilize the innings after early wickets. England’s Olly Stone and Josh Hull were the standout bowlers, each taking three wickets.

In their second innings, England struggled, with only Jamie Smith managing a half-century as Sri Lankan bowlers dominated. Nissanka’s century in the chase, supported by Kusal Mendis and Angelo Mathews, sealed a historic victory for Sri Lanka.

Butcher concluded by expressing hope that the disappointing performance would serve as a wake-up call for England.