The Ashes: England greats, fans and home press turn on hapless Poms as Australia stroll to 2-0 series lead

An embarrassing capitulation has prompted the English press, the country’s cricket legends, and even their own fans to turn on the hapless Poms as Australia stroll to an Ashes victory. Sir Ian Botham and Darren Gough were among the English greats to blast their clueless compatriots after a dismal eight-wicket defeat in Brisbane in the second Test at the Gabba. And a bizarre claim by their coach Brendon McCullum — for whom the infamous ‘Bazball’ was named after — has sparked the most outrage. In his post-match chat with Channel Seven McCullum said that his side had “overprepared” in the lead-up to the Test. “I think we will probably have a beer tonight,” McCullum said when asked how they will digest the drubbing. “Leading into this Test match, I actually felt like we overprepared to be honest... I think the boys just need a few days off.” His comments fly in the face of the criticism his side has faced on tour. Firstly they were scrutinised for playing just one warm up match in the lead up to the opening Test in Perth, before being slammed for opting not to send a single player to play in a preparatory pink-ball game against the Prime Minister’s XI. Instead, the team’s stars were photographed joy-riding on E-scooters without helmets and playing more rounds of golf after arriving in the Sunshine State. Vision of the team warming up by playing soccer while the Australians practised slip catches was played after England dropped a whopping five catches in the field in Brisbane. McCullum’s comments were followed by confirmation that the team would head to holiday hotspot Noosa before the next Test, which starts in Adelaide on December 17. England great Kevin Pietersen led the chorus of discontent around McCullum’s comments, writing “Crikey, Baz!” on X. Gough, who took 74 Ashes wickets between 1994 and 2001, offered his own response on X, writing: “Over prepared my arse.” Botham said if he had travelled from the UK to barrack for the Poms he would ask the England Cricket Board for his money back. “If I was an England supporter and had paid the money to come here, I’d be asking the ECB for a refund. Because this team, for me, is not prepared,” Botham told Triple M. In a scathing column for The Telegraph in the UK, former captain Sir Geoffrey Boycott — who never lost a series in Australia — pulled no punches. “Ben Stokes said England had a blueprint. They had been planning this tour for four years and know what they are doing. What a load of bulls...,” Boycott wrote. “We can’t believe anything Ben or his team say. None of them want to listen to anyone outside of their own camp. “They are up their own backsides convinced that Test cricket has changed so much that only they know anything about the modern game.” And it wasn’t just English cricket royalty that were displeased, with fans left “fuming” over McCullum’s comments. Some even questioned whether or not the coach was “trying to wind us up”. “Woefully underprepared and utterly lacking in the intelligence and application required to win Test matches. An arrogant embarrassment to be frank,” one fan wrote online. “All the hype and bravado for this is actually pathetic. And with Australia without their two best bowlers... Other than Root everyone should be proper ashamed of their performances thus far this series,” another said. One fan on X simply dubbed England’s performance: “Spineless and brainless cricket.” Captain Ben Stokes has defended his team and believes a reset will strengthen England’s mental resolve ahead of the remaining three Tests in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. “We have been here four weeks and they have been pretty full on,” Stokes said. “As physical as this game is, a huge part of it is also the mental side of it. I know that. I have experienced that. “I know what the game can do to you when things aren’t quite feeling right or going well. “It is so important when teams, when they do get an occasion or opportunity, go away as a team and put the pressures of this aside for a couple of days.” It comes after the tourist’s depth was also laid bare over the weekend, as the England Lions were flogged by an innings and 127 runs by Australia A just 10 minutes down the road from the Gabba at Allan Border Field.