Former England captain Michael Atherton said that England’s approach has been all-out aggression against Australia in the ongoing Ashes series. Atherton believes even Eoin Morgan, who revolutionized England’s white-ball game, would refer to it as reckless. England had a rather forgettable Day 3 of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s as they got bundled out for 325 after starting at 278-4. The hosts gave away a 91-run lead and Australia were ahead by 221 by the end of the day as well.

Speaking to Sky Sports, the veteran felt England were on the “wrong side of reckless” as well. “If you go back to last summer, England’s approach is one of calculated aggression,” he said. “Here, it seems to be all-out aggression, no matter what. They were just the wrong side of reckless in that innings, and this morning in particular with the dismissal of Harry Brook. Even Eoin [Morgan] who I reckon is kind of the spiritual godfather of ‘Bazball’ might have thought that that was slightly reckless.”

Brook, who scored a fifty, faced an uncomfortable short-pitched delivery from Mitchell Starc soon after scoring the half-century. However, he only managed to slice it to the cover fielder as well. Atherton also opened up on how good Jonny Bairstow’s innings was against New Zealand at Trent Bridge last summer. He also admitted feeling baffled by England’s struggles as well. However, due to rain, Day 3 finished early. And, Australia will try to build a solid lead and do well when play resumes on Day 4.

“I don’t know whether it’s because of the Ashes, whether it’s the pace of the bowling. Pace makes you do funny things, it can take you out of your comfort zone. All of the chat around England’s approach, you can sometimes forget what got you to this position. Think about Jonny Bairstow’s innings at Trent Bridge against New Zealand, that was grasping a moment where he thought it was right to attack. It was calculated risk-taking. Here, it has felt England are not in control of what they are doing,” Michael Atherton concluded.