Champions Trophy: Michael Vaughan criticizes England's over-dependence on fast bowlers
What's the story
Former England cricket captain, Michael Vaughan, has raised concerns over the team's over-dependence on fast bowlers.
Vaughan's criticism comes after England were knocked out of the Champions Trophy after an eight-run defeat to Afghanistan.
In the crucial match, England used three 145km/h bowlers in the form of Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Jamie Overton - but only one lead spinner in the form of Adil Rashid.
Here's more.
Selection scrutiny
Vaughan questions England's selection strategy
Vaughan pointed out a similar problem earlier in the tournament when Brydon Carse, Wood, and Archer gave away 226 runs in a little over 26 overs.
Meanwhile, this enabled Australia to chase down a target of 352 and win by five wickets.
Vaughan feels this isn't a new problem for England.
He criticized the management for neglecting white-ball cricket after England's past triumphs in the form of the 2019 ODI World Cup and 2022 T20 World Cup.
Tactical shift
Vaughan calls for variety in England's bowling attack
Vaughan noted England's selection and strategy have been inconsistent since their World Cup triumphs.
He highlighted the team's obsession with speed in their bowling attack as a major problem.
"There's no left-arm seam bowlers, no left-arm spin, no left-handed batters, [and] we just seem to be all out in terms of pace," Vaughan said on the Today Programme.
He asked who decided to prioritize pace in white-ball cricket and that may not always work, especially against sub-continent teams.
Balanced approach
Vaughan advocates for balance over speed
Vaughan recalled England's past success with fast-medium bowlers over pure pacers.
He highlighted the 2019 World Cup final, where Chris Woakes and Liam Plunkett took six wickets for just 79 runs.
"I'll just go back to the 2019 World Cup final. I know it's different conditions but Chris Woakes and Liam Plunkett got 6-79 [and] they bowl around 82-84 mph," he noted.
"Recently, England have been hell-bent on making sure they're looking for that 145km/h bowler," he said.
Contract concerns
Vaughan questions England's contract decisions
Vaughan questioned why Sonny Baker, who impressed on the England Lions tour of Australia, received a central contract while Sam Cook was overlooked.
Cook, a 27-year-old seamer who bowls at 132 km/h, has taken 311 county wickets at an average of 19 but was not rewarded with a contract despite being a standout performer on the Lions tour.
"It's a clear decision by the England management that it's all about pace," Vaughan added further in England's criticism.
Performance
A look at the English pacers' performance in the tournament
England opted for a pace-heavy attack in both matches so far.
In their eight-run loss to Australia, Archer, Wood, and Carse conceded 226 runs in 26.3 overs, taking just one wicket each.
Against Afghanistan, Archer struck early with three wickets, but the trio, including Jaime Overton and Wood, later proved expensive.
The trio gave away 186 runs in 28 overs, with Overton bagging one wicket, while Wood went wicketless.