Geoff Boycott said England batsmen forgot about defence as they only targeted to score runs © Getty Images
By CricketCountry Staff
London: Jul 22, 2012
Former cricketer Geoffrey Boycott on Tuesday slammed England batsmen, calling them ‘selfish’ after their humiliating loss to South Africa by an innings and 12 runs at the Kennington Oval in the first Test.
Boycott said England batsmen forgot about defence as they only targeted to score runs.
"When defence is paramount and not giving your wicket away crucial, then surely top players have to rein in their stroke-playing," Boycott wrote.
"If they can't, or won't, then they are playing for themselves and not the team. Batting in these situations you have to look forward to the challenge: to enjoy the chance to bat all day, relish it like eating a good dinner or savouring a gorgeous glass of wine,” he added.
The cricketer-turned-commentator specially criticised middle-order batsman Kevin Pietersen, who got 42 runs in the first innings and 16 in the second.
"Kevin Pietersen got sucked into a bouncer contest with Morne Morkel," he wrote, according to Reuters.
“His hubris got the better of him. He was too busy trying to score runs and get on top of the bowler and he forgot about his defence and missed a straight one."
