"To lose 6 for 47, there will be questions asked for sure" - Mark Taylor on England's batting collapse on Day 3 of the Lord's Test
Mark Taylor has highlighted that England's batting will certainly be questioned after their collapse on the third morning of the ongoing Lord's Test.
Ben Stokes and Co. folded up for 325 after starting Day 3 of the second Test at a comfortable 278/4. Australia ended the rain-truncated day (Friday, June 30) on 130/2, an overall lead of 221 runs with eight second-innings wickets in hand.
During an interaction on 'Wide World of Sports', Taylor was asked about the English media not being happy with their batters' performance and some of the shot selection, to which he responded:
"I think something like four or five of the top six got out with the pull shot or the hook shot. Yesterday (Day 2), when Nathan Lyon went off the ground, England at one stage were 188/1. They lost 3 for 34 with Lyon off the field. So there will be a lot of focus on that part of the game."
The former Australian skipper added:
"Then again today, no Lyon here today, a 61-overs-old ball when we came to the ground, and Australia under a bit of pressure, to lose 6 for 47, there will be questions asked for sure."
Nathan Lyon, who suffered a calf injury on Day 2, was seen on crutches on the third morning and is unlikely to take any further part in the game and potentially the rest of the series. However, England failed to take advantage of Australia losing their only frontline spinner by throwing away their wickets to injudicious shots.
"Pat Cummins would have signed up for it" - Mark Taylor reckons Australia would have been happy with one or two wickets before the new ball
Mark Taylor feels Australia would have been happy if they had struck one or two blows in the 19 overs before the second new ball:
"I reckon we (Australia) came in, with that Lyon injury, thinking if we can get a couple before the new ball or even one before the new ball and then mop England's tail up with the new ball, Pat Cummins would have signed up for it."
The former Australian opener reckons Ben Stokes' early dismissal lifted Pat Cummins and Co.:
"As it turned out, they got wickets early on. Ben Stokes - second ball of the day but his first ball, great catch by Cameron Green at second slip, Mitchell Starc picking him up, that got Australia going."
While observing that Jonny Bairstow lost his wicket to a peculiar shot, Taylor praised Travis Head for helping in polishing off England's lower order:
"Jonny Bairstow - strange shot after drinks, caught at mid-on and then even Travis Head, two late wickets to mop up that tail, and all of a sudden it turned out to be a great morning for Australia."
England lost Harry Brook and Bairstow to ungainly shots after Stokes' early dismissal. Head then got rid of Ollie Robinson and Stuart Broad before Cummins ended England's innings by dismissing Josh Tongue as Australia took a crucial 91-run first-innings lead.