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Cape Town - Former England captain Michael Vaughan has criticised England’s performance in the final two ODIs against South Africa.
The Proteas won the five-game ODI series 3-2 after overturning a 2-0 deficit.
In the two final games played at the weekend, the visitors were bowled out for below-par scores, enabling the South Africans to chase down the targets and sneak a series win.
“You have to be smart sometimes and use your brain. England did not do that in the final two matches of the series and let South Africa steal a win,” Vaughan wrote via a column for The Telegraph.
“I watched the last two matches closely and it was as if the players had an excuse for getting out. They say ‘it is the way we play’. But a savvy team becomes world champions by realising that there is more than one way to bat.”
England were bowled out for 262 in 47.5 overs at the Wanderers on Friday, while they could only muster 236 in 45 overs at Newlands on Sunday.
According to Vaughan, it is inexcusable to be bowled out with overs to spare in 50-over cricket.
“England seem to think they can make 330-350 on any surface. By going hard at the Wanderers and Cape Town they ended up miles short and not batting out their overs. Failing to bat the full overs is a cardinal sin in 50-over cricket. It is OK to be bowled out with five or six balls to go but five or six overs is schoolboy cricket.”
