NEED TO MAKE SYSTEMIC CHANGE: ASHLEY GILES ON ENGLAND’S DEBACLE IN ASHES

Managing director of England men’s cricket team, Ashley Giles said that his side’s poor performance in the Ashes is a collective responsibility and some systemic change is needed.

The Three Lions were crushed by Australia as the latter sealed an unassailable 3-0 lead to retain the Ashes. Currently, the two teams are locking horns in the fourth Test in Sydney. “In terms of my position, that’s not for me to decide. But you can clearly tell by the way I’m talking that I’m thinking very much about the future and how we take this team forward. If it was a failing of this leadership, then fine, I’d take that, I’m at peace with accountability,” said Ashley Giles as reported by ESPNcricinfo.

“But I’m not the first and I won’t be the last unless we make some change… Unless we look at more systemic change and a collective responsibility and collective solutions, we can make whatever changes we want. You can change me, change the head coach, change the captain, but we’re only setting up future leaders for failure. That’s all we’re doing. We’re only pushing it down the road,” he added.

England won only four of the 15 Tests they played in 2021 with two draws and nine defeats. In Australia, they lost the first Test by nine wickets, the second by 275 runs and the third by an innings before lunch on the third day.“Being here now in this position, I absolutely feel the responsibility of losing this Ashes series. Absolutely, we all do, and we can only apologise. I know there will be a lot of emotion, a lot of anger about how we’ve lost it but we know it’s not an easy place to come,” said Giles.

“We can’t kid ourselves. Look, in 34 years we’ve come here and won once. We’ll review the tour and there will be a full review, everything will be on the table. We’ll have to send a report through Tom [Harrison, ECB chief executive] to the board,” he added.

Coming to the fourth Test, Opening batters David Warner and Marcus Harris ensured that Australia does not lose any wicket in the morning session on Day 1 of the ongoing fourth Ashes Test here at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday.

David Warner perished but Marcus Harris and Marnus Labuschagne ensured that Australia does not lose wickets in a cluster in the second session on Day 1.

Rain played a spoilsport and it led to a curtailed session with Australia’s score at 56/1.

Harris (14*) and Labuschagne (0*) currently present at the crease. Only 9.1 overs were bowled in the second session.