The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : England team under fire

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Friday, Dec 29, 2006
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England team under fire

LONDON: Former England cricketers and the media attacked the national team's latest defeat in the Ashes on Thursday.

``Humiliated'' was the one-word headline in London's Evening Standard after England's innings defeat to Australia in the fourth Test in Melbourne, which left the visitors 4-0 down.

``Apart from (Alastair) Cook, I don't think anyone has the stomach to play a rearguard innings,'' former England opening batsman Geoff Boycott said.

Former captain Nasser Hussain agreed England had played ``poor cricket'' as it faced a 5-0 series whitewash in Australia, only 16 months after ending its 16-year Ashes drought with a 2-1 series upset in England.

``You have got to show the opposition an `over my dead body' approach, the stubbornness of a Boycott or an (Michael) Atherton,'' Hussain said.

However, England captain Andrew Flintoff said his team wasn't giving up.

``As bad as I feel now, come the game in Sydney we have to go out there and put on a show,'' Flintoff said. ``There's a lot of pride and character in the team ... we're trying our best, the fans can see that and it would be nice to repay them with a win in Sydney.''

Former England cricket great Ian Botham didn't see those qualities in this side. ``You now hope that England will start to admit that they got their preparation wrong,'' the all-rounder said. ``There is no getting away from that, just look at the score in the series.'' — AP

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