'Keep faith': McCullum urges fans to trust England's 'Bazball' approach
What's the story
After suffering a massive defeat in the Ashes opener in Perth, England head coach Brendon McCullum has urged fans to keep faith in his team's aggressive tactics. The Australian team leads the five-match series 1-0 after defeating England by eight wickets at Perth Stadium. Despite the loss, McCullum is confident about their approach and strategy for upcoming matches.
Tactical setback
England's aggressive tactics backfire in Perth
England was 1-65 in their second innings on Saturday, leading by 105 runs before a major collapse due to their Bazball tactics. Travis Head then hammered England's exhausted attack with a quickfire 123 off just 83 balls, helping Australia chase down the target of 205 runs easily. The defeat has drawn criticism from some of England's greatest cricket legends like Geoffrey Boycott and Michael Vaughan.
Sticking to strategy
McCullum defends team's tactics despite criticism
Despite the backlash, McCullum is standing firm behind his team's aggressive approach. "I'm pretty confident of the way we go about things." he said as per cricket.com.au. The coach emphasized that their style of cricket gives them their best chance at winning. "If we go away from that, then we're in trouble," he added while urging fans to keep faith in their methods.
Handling pressure
McCullum embraces pressure and urges fans to stay calm
McCullum is embracing the pressure that has come his way after the defeat. He said, "This is the fun stuff, right?" and added that when things haven't worked out, that's when your methods are tested at their best. The coach's message to fans was simple: "I'd say keep the faith." He emphasized they know their best game and what gives them their greatest opportunity.
Past victories
McCullum recalls past comebacks to inspire confidence
McCullum also recalled past instances where England has bounced back from similar situations. He said, "We've been in this situation before ... we played South Africa and lost in two days that first Test and came back and won that series 2-1." The coach's confidence in his team's ability to recover is a key part of his strategy for the remainder of the series.