Vaughan: Cook is under huge pressure

Cricket365
December 29, 2013

Former captain Michael Vaughan has questioned skipper Alastair Cook's approach, after England fell to an eight-wicket defeat – and four-nil series deficit – on day four of the penultimate Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.

Former captain Michael Vaughan has questioned skipper Alastair Cook's approach, after England fell to an eight-wicket defeat – and four-nil series deficit – in the penultimate Ashes Test.

Two poor totals, endured in the wake of fast bowler Mitchell Johnson's Man of the Match figures of eight for 88, afforded the Australians a modest pursuit – the bulk of which was accomplished on Sunday.

Opener Chris Rogers welcomed a fine century, while all-rounder Shane Watson ended unbeaten on 83, as a comfortable triumph arrived shortly before tea on the fourth day.

"Cook is under huge pressure because his team is four-nil down," Vaughan told <i>BBC Radio Five Live</i>. "I hope he sticks with it, I hope he learns from a lot of mistakes that he made, particularly on the fourth day.

"He got his tactics wrong on the third morning when Nathan Lyon and Brad Haddin came out. He just spread the field, England only needed one wicket and he just allowed momentum to go Australia's way.

"On the fourth morning, to take Stuart Broad off after the second over, to not bowl Monty Panesar, then to spread the field. You feel that he's got a long way to go in terms of making sure that his tactics improve."

Vaughan also criticised an arguable lack of support from team-mates Kevin Pietersen, who used to captain the Test side, and Stuart Broad, who currently leads the Twenty20 International unit.

"I'd like to know what the senior players in the team are doing," he added. "You've got guys out there who have played 100 Test matches in Kevin, you've got Stuart.

"What are they doing on the tactics? Why aren't they helping him out? Where are the coaches on the team? Why aren't they delivering more of a thought process in terms of making sure the tactics improve."