Ashes 2015: Michael Clarke had bad day at Edgbaston, says Nasser Hussain
Should Aussie skipper have asked England to bat?
Thursday 30 July 2015 08:20, UK
Nasser Hussain says Australia captain Michael Clarke had a day to forget as England took charge of the third Investec Ashes Test at Edgbaston.
Australia – who levelled the five-match series at 1-1 after their 405-run win at Lord’s earlier this month - were bowled out for 136 after Clarke opted to bat, the 34-year-old making just 10 before being castled by Steve Finn.
The tourists then saw England close on 133-3 – Ian Bell returning to form with 53 – and Hussain pinpointed errors made by the Baggy Greens skipper.
"I think Clarke has been too funky with his field settings. It’s not a pitch for two men out on the hook, three men out on the drive."
“When the toss came down in Australia’s favour, if you’d have offered [Alastair] Cook this score he would have grabbed your hand off – and I’m not sure Clarke has had the greatest of days,” said Hussain.
“The toss was probably a 50/50 decision but having bowled England out for 100-odd at Lord’s and then seen a grassy pitch here, why not put them back in?
“He then hasn’t got any runs and I think he has also been too funky with his field settings.
“It’s not a pitch for two men out on the hook, three men out on the drive, it’s a pitch to set you normal field and hit the top of off-stump.”
Bell, who had scored just 117 runs in his previous six Tests at an average of 10.63, smoked 10 boundaries on his home track following his switch to No 3 before looping Nathan Lyon to David Warner shortly before the close.
The 33-year-old was aiming to become the first Warwickshire batsman to post century for England at Edgbaston and Hussain feels the right-hander’s dismissal will rankle with him.
The former England skipper also urged Adam Lyth, caught at slip for 10 flashing at a wide delivery from Josh Hazlewood, to not go searching for runs at Test level.
The Ashes - Live
Yorkshire opener Lyth notched a century in his second Test, against New Zealand at Headingley in May, but his top score since that is the 37 he recorded in the second innings of the first Ashes encounter in Cardiff.
“Bell is not sat there tonight thinking: ‘Great, I’ve got fifty’ but ‘Crikey, there was an opportunity to put to bed this myth that I can’t bat at three’,” added Hussain.
“It just goes to show that the game is never finished with you and when you think you are back in nick, you’re gone.
“Lyth, meanwhile, has to realise that while you might get a hundred in a session for Yorkshire, against this Australia attack you are going to have to work harder for your runs.
“He doesn’t need to go looking for a boundary, it will come to him eventually, so he needs to work out the tempo of Test cricket.”
Coverage of the third Ashes Test from Edgbaston continues on Sky Sports Ashes HD. You can also watch the third Test with a NOW TV Sports Day Pass. Plus, our Ashes Events Centre - the best of Sky Cricket's analysis at your fingertips - is available on our iPad app.
