The Ashes: Sir Alastair Cook says England’s thrashing in Australia has to be their ‘rock bottom’ | Cricket News

“That was very tough viewing, that has to be our rock bottom, there cannot be a worse a place than getting bowled out in an hour and a half”; Sir Alastair Cook says “no stone can be left unturned” as England try to rebuild in Test cricket after their Ashes humbling in Australia

England’s latest Ashes collapse ‘has to be rock bottom’, says Sir Alastair Cook

Former England captain Sir Alastair Cook says the 4-0 Ashes thrashing suffered by Joe Root’s side in Australia “has to be our rock bottom” after another dismal collapse to end the series.

England crumbled from 68-0 to 124 all out in quick time as a desperate tour concluded with a comprehensive 146-run win for the hosts in Hobart.

A review by the ECB into the side’s failures in Australia is set to take place in the coming days and weeks with a number of changes expected as part of a ‘red-ball reset’ and, speaking on BT Sport, Cook did not hold back in his own assessment of England’s showing in the fifth Test and the series as a whole…

Cook on England’s batting…

“You don’t win games of cricket [batting in that manner]. The fact we’ve lost 10 wickets in an hour and a half… yes the conditions are tough, and some good bowling, but there was no resilience there.

“I said at the beginning of the game it was going to be a really hard week for them mentally because they’re about to lose, go home, the thoughts about that, and as soon as they get put under pressure you see how much resolve there is. They showed a lot at Sydney but probably used it all there.

Cameron Green triggered the England slide with three wickets either side of tea

“That was very tough viewing, that has to be our rock bottom, there cannot be a worse place than getting bowled out in an hour and a half.

“OK, you competed in this game with the ball, but I actually can’t believe an hour and a half to lose 10 wickets, that’s the biggest shock as a batter and a professional who plays cricket… you get bowled out in a session once or twice in a career and this side, after a couple of wickets, we said ‘something is on here’ and you see a batting line-up devoid of all confidence, once they lose one or two, no one steps up and stop the slide.”

Cook on England failing to compete…

“It has probably been the least competitive series between the sides. I have been involved in two 5-0 defeats so people may accuse me of being biased, but I just feel there is a very big gap between the sides.

An Australia series win was never really in doubt with England unable to provide any real resistance

“We need to look at everything, start rebuilding this Test team. No stone can be left unturned as it has to be better. That last hour and a half showed where we are.

“You can talk all you want about the battle in the dressing room, but until some people grab it by the scruff of the neck, I can’t see this changing.”

Cook on potential changes…

“I will be very surprised if England go to the West Indies in March with exactly the same structure in place. I’m not saying Joe Root won’t be captain but I can’t see how there won’t be some changes.

Joe Root and Chris Silverwood both find their positions under threat after a 4-0 defeat in Australia

“We have had the same coaches in place for 18 months now and I’ve not seen any improvement, really, in anything. What has been going on behind the scenes?

“You have to ask questions of Graham Thorpe, the batting coach, and the others. If you have the same leadership group in the West Indies and England lose, their positions will be untenable and there has to be change.

“Everything has to be stripped back. How do we get this England side better, quickly and for the long-term? Nothing else can matter. We have had all this money piled into The Hundred and other stuff but put it all into one thing – making England’s Test side better. Best side, best players, all the time.”