‘It’s like a virus,’ says former cricketer Hussain on England team dropped catches

Australia’s Mitchell Marsh, left, celebrates the dismissal of England’s Zak Crawley, right, during the first day of the third Ashes Test match between England and Australia at Headingley, Leeds, England.
| Photo Credit: AP

England’s former captain Nasser Hussain seemed disappointed with the missing chances by the English team on the field against Australia in the third test match of the Ashes series.

On the first day of the third test, England continued to let down with their on-field performance. Jonny Bairstow dropped catches behind the stumps of Steve Smith and Travis Head while Joe Root filed to catch Mitchell Marsh at 12 runs. Marsh then scored 118 runs in the match.

Hussain told Sky Sports Cricket that dropping catches is like a “virus”, it spreads through the team.

“It’s like a virus, it spreads through the team,” Hussain told Sky Sports Cricket. “I’m not just talking about in a day, it’s in a series – you lose it, you get hard hands,” the former English captain said. “The greatest catchers I played with were Mark Waugh and Nick Knight, and they had soft hands. Jonny Bairstow will know he should be taking that, Joe Root will know he should be taking that – these are not difficult chances, but now it’s spreading like a virus,” he further added.

Hussain believes that those wasted opportunities have played a significant role in the series score. “You’re thinking ‘don’t come to me, don’t come to me’, when in the field you should be wanting every ball to come to you. It’s been the difference between the sides and it makes me cross because when England win it’s all about Bazball, when England lose it’s all about Bazball, when actually they’re 2-0 down because of those mistakes they’ve made in the game.” Hussain said.

“It’s attention to detail and at the moment Australia have had the better attention to detail, and that’s why they’re 2-0 up,” he added.

Coming to the match, England put Australia to bat first and the visitors were bundled out for 263 runs in 60.4 overs. Australia slipped to 85/4, but with a 155-run stand for the fifth wicket between Mitchell Marsh (118 in 118 balls, 17 fours and four sixes) and Travis Head (39 in 74 balls), the Aussies were back on track. But after the dismissal of these two batters, Australia experienced another collapse and was bundled out for 263 runs.

Wood (5/34) was the pick of the bowlers for England. Chris Woakes (3/73) and Stuart Broad (2/58) also bowled really well. England ended the day one on 68/3, with Joe Root (19*) and Jonny Bairstow (1*) unbeaten. Zak Crawley (33) played a solid knock but Ben Duckett, and Harry Brook fell for single digits. Pat Cummins took two wickets while Marsh got one.