Cricket greats slam 'atrocious' England fielding in grim Ashes truth bomb

Cricket greats Michael Vaughan and Glenn McGrath have led the backlash against England after another sloppy day in the field cost them dearly in the third Ashes Test at Headingley. Mitch Marsh returned from a four-year Test hiatus to smash a run-a-ball 118 to rescue Australia after the visitors slumped to 4-85 on day one.

Marsh's stunning century helped the Aussies set a respectable first innings total of 263, with recalled paceman Mark Wood taking 5-34 as the pick of England's bowlers. Pat Cummins (2-28) and Marsh (1-9) then gave the Aussies three crucial wickets as England reached 3-68 at stumps - trailing by 195 runs.

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Things could have been so much better for England if they'd held onto their catches though, with Joe Root's shocking effort in slip when Marsh was on 12 easily the most costly. Jonny Bairstow - who has had a miserable series with the gloves for England - was also guilty of two dropped catches, firstly off Steve Smith and then when Travis Head was on eight, before he went on to make 39.

The England wicketkeeper has put down several chances in this series, prompting calls for Ben Foakes to come in as gloveman and Bairstow to play as a specialist batter. The worrying reality for England is they have now put down 14 catches for the series, with Bairstow also guilty of one missed stumping.

Cricket legends slam sloppy England

Vaughan couldn't hide his frustration over the persistent failings of Ben Stokes' men, suggesting that England could well be leading the series - rather then being 2-0 down - if they'd been better in the field. "Someone, rightfully, will be writing an article about how catching is losing England the Ashes," Vaughan said.

"In the first Test, they would have won that game. Obviously, at Lord's, they missed opportunities and didn't bat with any kind of sense, the first innings in particular. Today, I mean, dropped catches happen, you're going to see dropped catches, that's just the nature of the game that we play...

"But the people that are in the catching positions in the cordon and the keeper, they've got to be taking those chances. One down the leg side, Jonny Bairstow off Travis Head, that's as easy as they come. It really is. Joe Root, straight in, twice. Joe Root has got a safe pair of hands.

"I don't know what Australia would have been bowled out for, but I'm sure it would have been around 160, 170. There is a huge difference. It's 100 runs in the first innings. Now, England are near-on 200 runs behind. They've only got seven wickets left. Let's see how hard it is for England to get up to what Australia got in the first innings."

"I reckon, if they took all their catches, they would have knocked Australia over for 120 and be in a far better position." England fans were also quick to call out their side's effort in the field, describing it as "atrocious" and "woeful".

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Compounding England's woes is an injury to quick Ollie Robinson, who left the ground with back spasms on day one and failed to return. If Robinson is unable to bowl in Australia's second innings it will pose a huge burden on the Stuart Broad and all-rounders Chris Woakes and Mooen Ali, with Wood's express pace only typically used in four-over bursts. Stokes did not bowl at all on day one due to a troublesome knee.

Australia's late-order collapse of 6-23 meant Robinson's absence did not hurt England on day one but his fitness could be key in the third innings. The hosts will be sweating on the outcome for Robinson, as they seek the win needed to keep their Ashes series hopes alive.

with agencies

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