Boycott urges England to ‘use their brains’ in quest to level Ashes

AFP | London

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Geoffrey Boycott has urged England to “use their brains” as Ben Stokes’s men go in search of an Ashes series-levelling win in this week’s second Test in Brisbane.

England fell 1-0 down in the five-match series following a humiliating eight-wicket loss to Australia inside two days in last month’s first Test in Perth.

Batting collapses cost England dear as the tourists lost five wickets for 12 runs in their first innings and four for 11 in their second.

Former England opener Boycott insisted Stokes’s men could win at Brisbane’s Gabba ground with a more measured approach.

“But it doesn’t help our chances of success if Ben Stokes keeps encouraging our batsmen to attack, attack with one finger hovering over the self-destruct button,” Boycott wrote in his Daily Telegraph column.

“Nobody is asking the players to stop being positive because they have given us some marvellous, thrilling and entertaining cricket. All we ask is for them to use their brains and realise there are times when they should throttle back and be aware of situations and bat accordingly.”