The latest edition of Wisden has launched a scathing critique of England's Test team, describing their Ashes defeat in Australia as a 'wing-and-a-prayer' campaign that was 'feckless, reckless and legless'. The sport's longstanding bible, published this Thursday, highlights the team's poor preparation, lurching tactics, and unprofessional off-field conduct as key factors in the 4-1 series loss.
Editor Lawrence Booth writes: 'Much of the misery was self-inflicted: from the paper-thin preparation, via a string of schoolboy dismissals, to the revelation of Harry Brook's scrape with a nightclub bouncer in New Zealand. England were feckless, reckless and legless.' Booth adds that it is 'hard to think of a privilege so carelessly squandered, a chance so blithely spurned'.
The tour, described by Brendon McCullum as 'the biggest series of all our lives', descended into dilettantism. England lacked a fielding coach, a wicketkeeping coach, a long-term bowling coach, and a batting coach preaching smarter strokeplay. As a result, only three players averaged over 28, and the team dropped catches and looked rudderless. Booth concludes: 'These were the wing-and-a-prayer Ashes, and England got what they deserved.'
In contrast, Mitchell Starc's decision to abstain from alcohol throughout the campaign helped him claim 31 wickets at 19.9, earning him Wisden's leading men's cricketer award. The women's equivalent went to Deepti Sharma for her all-round heroics in India's World Cup victory. The awards also feature a strong Indian flavour, with Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, and Mohammed Siraj recognised for their roles in last year's 2-2 Test series draw in England.
