Legends slam England's BazBall approach

Damien Fleming, Simon Katich and Ian Healy have criticised the performance of England, with the former admitting that he can't get a read on what they are trying to accomplish.

England lost the second Ashes Test by eight wickets at the Gabba and are now 2-nil in the five-match series.

As they did in Perth, England put themselves into strong positions, with Joe Root breaking his Test century drought in the first innings to help set a competitive total of 334.

But following that, they fell away, unable to bowl out Australia's tail, which saw them get beyond 500 runs. The visitors then went from 1/90 to 6/128 during the night session of Day 3, which all but curtailed their chances of setting a competitive total.

"There's not enough pressure built," Fleming said on SEN Breakfast. "I don’t know where England can go.

"Australia is only going to get stronger. Adelaide would be the best batting track which means Bazball might get going but can they get 20 Aussie wickets? I doubt it.

"It was scatterbrain, no pressure built. Besides Green getting out, nothing was going for England. Overall, England have been so disappointing.

"I’m confused, I don’t know what they’re doing, I don’t think they know what they’re doing. McCullum said they over trained, we think they lacked match experience."

Reflecting on their performance so far, the former Australian opener, Katich, felt that they were simply lacking in the basics of Test match cricket.

"When the Test match has been up for grabs, and generally that is in the first few days because that's when things get set up, England have been found wanting," Katich explained on SEN Cricket.

"And it's with both; Ball, bat and particularly in this Test, the field as well.

"So they go back to normal with day cricket in Adelaide, but there are a number of the basics of Test match cricket that they haven't done well enough in all aspects of their game."

Healy noted that they need to make the most of their break in Noosa before the Third Test to try and build some cohesion and love within the group.

"Too much talking and too much thinking," the former wicketkeeper added.

"They are not doing anything. They have got to get doing. They had their holiday after Perth (First Test). They haven't made the most of that break. It's not a time for a break now.

"If you're going to Noosa, go to Noosa, but work. Do plenty of work that's going to do stuff, make the bowlers stronger and fitter. Make everyone do stuff together, so you're toiling together, whether that be fitness drills, really competitive fielding sessions and then play your golf.

"But there is not enough competition and cohesion and love in that side that's playing Australia at the moment."

The Third Test, which will be played at Adelaide Oval, begins on December 17 as the Australians look to have done what they have done in the last three home Ashes series by claiming the urn with two matches to spare.

SEN will have LIVE ball-by-ball coverage of that Test match starting from December 17.