"The move back to No.5 in the second innings was a masterstroke by England" - Michael Vaughan lauds the decision to demote Brook during the 3rd Test
Former England captain Michael Vaughan praised the batting order shuffle by the hosts in the final innings of the third Ashes Test at Headingley, Leeds. In the absence of Ollie Pope, the No.3 position was assigned to Harry Brook. The youngster could only score three runs but proved his mettle in the second time of asking.
England decided to send in Moeen Ali at No.3 during the second innings, allowing Harry Brook to revert to his original position. The ploy worked out quite well for the hosts as the youngster top-scored with a well-made 75 runs off 93 deliveries, that helped them chase down the 251-run target.
Praising Brook's mentality and bringing his best against the rivals in a high-pressure situation, Vaughan wrote in his column for The Telegraph:
"For Harry Brook to keep his cool under so much pressure so early in his Test career against the best on his home turf tells me he is made of something special. The move back to No.5 in the second innings was a masterstroke by England."
Stating that Moeen Ali is a decent option at No.3 in the Ashes, Vaughan added:
"It wouldn’t worry me if Moeen stayed batting at three. Ben Stokes could also bat at three — but after what he’s done at six so far this series, I’d rather he stayed there."
It remains to be seen how England will proceed regarding the No.3 position in the remainder of the series. Featuring either one of Moeen Ali or Harry Brook will continue to be a contingency plan, while they have a player suited to the profile on the bench in Dan Lawrence.
"It’s the bowling that has really won England this Test match and got them back into the series" - Michael Vaughan
England made multiple changes to their bowling attack following their defeat at Lord's. James Anderson and Josh Tongue made way to accommodate Mark Wood and Chris Woakes in the playing XI.
The bowlers, Wood in particular, made a significant impact as they skittled out Australia for 263 and 224 in the fourth Test.
Wood, making his return after injury, was even adjudged as the player of the match for his five-wicket haul in the first innings, as well as handy runs down the order. Vaughan praised the bowling performance after a bleak set of outings in the earlier matches. He wrote:
"There’s going to be a lot of focus on England’s batting after such a thrilling run chase. But we should be clear: it’s the bowling that has really won England this Test match and got them back into the series. This England side have found a way with the ball in hand just to create doubt in Australia’s minds. The Aussies haven’t passed 300 in their past three innings."
Despite the defeat, Australia hold a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. The fourth Ashes Test is scheduled to get underway on July 19 at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester.
Who should play at No.3 for England in the fourth Ashes Test? Let us know what you think.