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Justin Langer has accused England of showing a ‘lack of respect’ for Test cricket after their two-day defeat in the Ashes curtain-raiser at Perth.
The former Australia opener and head coach also said the early finish brought about by their carefree batting, with England dismissed twice in a total of 67.3 overs, had left children with tickets for the third day ‘heartbroken’, since they had been ‘robbed of the dream of seeing their heroes live’.
Langer praised Travis Head for the blistering century that hurried Australia to an eight-wicket victory on the second evening. But he asked whether the swift conclusion to the game was ‘disaster or triumph’ for the game as a whole.
‘For the England cricket team this is a disaster,’ he wrote in the West Australian. ‘Having been in front for a lot of the game, their lack of respect for the conditions, their opponent and the game of five-day cricket has cost them in this instance. Missed opportunities tend to keep you awake at night.
‘In the bigger picture, it is not only England that bear the cost of a two-day Test match. What about the kid who misses the opportunity to watch their first day of Test cricket at Optus Stadium?
‘In the last 24 hours I have heard three stories of heartbroken kids, robbed of the dream of seeing their heroes live. The health of the game is inherently linked with kids falling in love with it. Without that, the game is unsustainable. Two-day Tests are three days of missed opportunities for those kids to fall in love with the game.’
Former Australia star Justin Langer has taken the opportunity to pour scorn on England's loss
Ben Stokes' side took just two days to capitulate in Perth on their first outing Down Under
Langer also sympathised with the England fans who had travelled over to Perth, only to be treated to the second-shortest Test in Australia in terms of balls bowled – 847, behind only 656 against South Africa at Melbourne in 1931-32.
‘Friends of mine are in that category,’ he wrote. ‘We have been talking about day three of the Perth Test for six months. They are shattered.’
Langer went on: ‘The 2,000 casual staff who miss out on working a shift on Sunday. Let’s not forget them… most will be disappointed and missing out on their much-needed wages.
‘Their employers at Optus Stadium bear the brunt as much as anyone. They, Cricket Australia and the broadcasters lose millions of dollars. Day three, a Sunday, will cost CA and the stadium around $10 million [about £5 million] in ticket and food and beverage sales. That’s a lot of money that goes back into grassroots cricket.
‘The hundreds and thousands of dollars’ worth of wasted food prepared to service the 50,000 patrons is a travesty.’
There was more bad news for English teams in Australia on Monday, when the Lions – England’s second-string team – slumped to an eight-wicket defeat by a Cricket Australia XI on the final morning of their four-day game at Lilac Hill in Perth.
Set 232, the Australians breezed to victory in 45 overs, with Leeds-born Josh Inglis making an unbeaten 125 off just 107 balls.
