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Former skippers lash out at 'appalling' England

The cracks seem to be appearing in English cricket ahead of the Ashes after an absolute thrashing at the hands of South Africa.

South Africa took full advantage of an abject England batting display to complete a crushing 340-run win in the second Test at Trent Bridge, which levelled the series 1-1 with two games remaining.

The defeat was Joe Root's first as captain in his second game in charge, and England's eighth loss in 13 matches but it was the manner of their capitulation inside 45 overs and with a day and a half to spare that was most concerning.

Instead of mounting the required rearguard action, England collapsed to 133 all out, with the last three wickets falling without the addition of a run.

Not good from the Poms. Image: Getty
Not good from the Poms. Image: Getty

And a number of former England captains are fuming.

Michael Vaughan took to Twitter after the loss with some withering criticism.

He also took aim on BBC’s Test Match Special, labelling England's batting "appalling".

"Maybe it's a lack of respect about what the game is," he said.

"They look like they are playing a Twenty20 game. I look at the approach — yes, the ball has done a little bit but it’s not been drastic.

"They have this approach of attack, attack, attack. There is no thought or feeling of seeing off a bowler or wearing a team down."

Fellow former captain Nassar Hussain lashed out at "abysmal" selections.

"The lads who are coming in aren't doing anything," Hussain told Sky Sports.

"They won (the first Test at Lord's because of Joe Root ... the ones they've won before have been because of Root, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad in Johannesburg.

"The selectors are going to have to have a good long look at themselves because their record in the last two years — two years ago it was one-day cricket, now in Test match cricket — their selections have been abysmal.

"Name some lads who've come in: (James) Vince, (Ben) Duckett, (Gareth) Batty, (Zafar) Ansari ... I can name a long list but no-one's coming in and doing well. (Gary) Ballance, Alex Hales."

Hussain and Vaughan in their playing days. Image: Getty
Hussain and Vaughan in their playing days. Image: Getty

Ballance - who is a prolific run-scorer in County Cricket, copped the brunt of it.

"Selection is not just about saying 'Gary Ballance has 1,000 first-class runs so Gary Ballance plays'," Hussain said.

"Speak to umpires, speak to bowlers, has he actually changed? He hasn't changed a thing and we're getting exactly what we got the last two times.

"He’ll go back to county cricket and score runs again but that doesn't mean he’s an international cricketer."

Geoffrey Boycott was also sctahing in his assessment.

"They need better batsmen and a better attitude," Boycott told BBC Radio.

Ballance can't seem to work it out at Test level. Image: Getty
Ballance can't seem to work it out at Test level. Image: Getty

"Only Alastair Cook made any effort to play in the sort of the way that the situation demanded.

"The rest of them have a flamboyant way of playing. Play shots, whack it, hit it, get fours. Everybody keeps saying this brave new England side, attacking England side, we like to play positive and they have all got sucked into this feeling.

"They believe it now. If you believe that, then what you are going to get are wonderful successes, like at Lord's (where England won the first Test by 211 runs), and these horrible losses. There is no middle ground."

England have delayed selection ahead of the third Test, which starts at the Oval on July 27, and could make changes.

with AAP