“Had A Very Ordinary Game…”: Ricky Ponting Questions Star’s Place In England’s Test XI

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting said that England have some selection issues to deal with and suggested that wicket-keeper batter Jonny Bairstow’s errors were one of the main reasons England lost the first Test. Moeen Ali had a finger injury on Day 3 of the Test, limiting his bowling abilities. Bairstow has been chastised for his glove failures in the first Ashes Test against Australia at Edgbaston. “As far as I’m concerned now, England have more questions to answer than Australia. On their style of play, but also now looking at that first Test, they’ve got some selection issues that they’re going to have to deal with as well,” Ponting told ICC.

“Moeen can’t play the next game with his finger the way it is,” the former Australia skipper said.

Bairstow was guilty of failing to go for Usman Khawaja’s catch in James Anderson’s second innings’ over. In the second innings, Khawaja hit a match-winning 65. Bairstow also dropped Alex Carey twice and failed to stump Cameron Green.

The senior batter took five catches, but it was his squandered opportunities that earned him criticism after England lost a close encounter in Birmingham.

“Jonny Bairstow actually had a very ordinary game behind the stumps, there’s about four chances that he put down. And on flat wickets, if they want flat wickets, you cannot afford your keeper to be making mistakes,” Ponting said.

“If you look at those mistakes by themselves, some people might say those mistakes could have cost him the Test match. Those are things they have to answer. Whereas Australia, because they’ve won the game, they’ll have to answer a lot fewer questions,” he added.

Australia skipper Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon’s resilient effort at the crease defied top-class bowling from England and the team registered a thrilling victory in the first Test match of the Ashes series.

Australia won by two wickets in a match that seemed evenly poised at various stages.