Former England captain Michael Vaughan has urged the team not to “take the mickey out of the game” after a lackluster second day allowed Sri Lanka to regroup in the final Test at The Kia Oval.
After a promising start, England quickly lost their last seven wickets for just 64 runs, ending up all out for 325. This led to Sri Lanka being presented with the opportunity for a rapid response, reaching 211-5 before bad light halted play.
“It felt like the end of term,” Vaughan remarked on the Test Match Special podcast. “With the bat, they were too expansive. Would they play that way against India and Australia? They wouldn’t. They set the field with multiple slips while lacking a fine leg. It resembled a school cricket match against an opponent they knew was inferior.”
England, looking to secure a second consecutive 3-0 series win and their first 100% home summer since 2004, had a strong day one led by Ollie Pope’s century, reaching 221-3 before faltering in the second innings. Despite Pope’s solid score of 154 and Ben Duckett’s 86, the rest of the batting lineup struggled, failing to make significant contributions.
Vaughan acknowledged England has had few bad days this summer but expressed his expectation that they would still prevail. “I admire the way they play; they approach the game differently. But I sometimes think they need to be cautious—this game can bite back,” he cautioned.
Vaughan questioned the team’s focus, saying, “Were you on it all day like you would be against India and Australia? If they look in the mirror and say they were, they are lying. They weren’t on it today.”
Olly Stone, who took two wickets and ran out Sri Lanka opener Dimuth Karunaratne, dismissed suggestions of complacency impacting England’s performance. “We always aim to take the positive option,” Stone said. “On another day, we could have scored more runs. Given the pitch conditions, we thought 325 was a decent total.”
As the match continues, both teams remain focused on the opportunities that lie ahead.
Credit: BBC Sport
