Hussain criticises 'abysmal' England selection post Trent Bridge loss

Johannesburg [South Africa] July 18 (ANI): Former captain Nasser Hussain has criticised the selection committee of the England cricket team after the Joe Root-led side slumped to a 340-run defeat to South Africa in Trent Bridge Test. According to him, too many recent call-ups led to this debacle. He believes that the match in Trent Bridge reflects poorly of the selection committee comprising chairman James Whitaker, who played one Test as a batsman for England in 1986; former Test seamer Angus Fraser, now the director of cricket at county champions Middlesex and Mick Newell, who holds a similar position at Trent Bridge-based Nottinghamshire, a Second Division county. In addition to them, coach Trevor Bayliss and Root have a say in selecting the team. Chasing a mammoth target of 474 runs to win, the hosts failed to counter South Africa's bowling attack and were eventually collapsed to 133 all out in their second innings on the fourth day, succumbing to the second biggest defeat, in terms of runs, in their history against the Proteas. None of the England batsmen were able to contribute much in the side's second innings, with former skipper and opener Alastair Cook being the top scorer with 42 runs. While South Africa's first innings lasted 96.2 overs, the hosts batted for only 96.1 across the entire match, thus inviting criticism from many. Hussain blamed England's top order for not producing the goods. "The lads who are coming in aren't doing anything," Sport24 quoted Hussain as saying. "They won (the first Test at Lord's because of Joe Root...the ones they've won before have been because of Root, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad in Johannesburg." ""The selectors are going to have to have a good long look at themselves because their record in the last two years -- two years ago it was one-day cricket, now in Test match cricket -- their selections have been abysmal," he added. The former England skipper criticised Gary Balance, who was recalled for a third crack at Test cricket this series following his prolific form for Yorkshire this season. However, Hussain insisted, "Selection is not just about saying 'Gary Ballance has 1,000 first-class runs so Gary Ballance plays'. "Speak to umpires, speak to bowlers, has he actually changed? He hasn't changed a thing and we're getting exactly what we got the last two times. He'll go back to county cricket and score runs again but that doesn't mean he's an international cricketer," he added. The four-match series is now leveled at 1-1 and the two sides will now take on each other in the third Test, beginning July 27 at the Oval.(ANI)