"Monumental Fail": Australia Great Blasts England For "Deflating" Ashes Performance

Former Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy expressed his disappointment with England's performance so far, calling it "deflating," and suggested that a lack of preparation for Australian conditions has resulted in the visitors being 2-0 down in the Ashes series. After a loss in the series opener in Perth, Brisbane didn't play out much better for England, as Australia cruised to victory to take an ominous 2-0 lead, having been set a target of just 65 runs.

"It's a very deflating performance so far," Healy told SEN. "The optimism we had before any contest was very high. We thought this was going to be the close Ashes (in Australia) that we've been craving since the '60s.

"It's been a monumental fail by England; they have misread everything. I don't know how there could be so many people in decision-making positions in English cricket who don't know any better and have let this itinerary be approved.

"They've got nothing because they haven't been training. They are not fit enough, they are not bowling fit enough, and the batsmen haven't made enough big runs in recent times. So, they are all fresh and green, and they're not working hard enough. It's very disappointing that it has been such a farce for them," he added.

England head coach Brendon McCullum, however, said his side over-trained ahead of their heavy eight-wicket defeat to Australia in the second Ashes Test. He also felt England must be at their best in all aspects to get the better of Australia at home in the remaining three Ashes games in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney.

Moreover, ahead of the third Test in Adelaide, starting December 17, England copped a major blow as fast bowler Mark Wood was ruled out of the remainder of the Ashes tour following a knee injury he suffered during the first Test in Perth.

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