The English press has slammed the brittle batting of the Australians at the second day of the Lord's Ashes Test, and have described it as 'just awful', 'deeply dismaying' and worse.
According to Telegraph.com.au, the sporting temperament of the English was left amazed by the tourists' afternoon batting display, when they were left all out for 128, after years of grudging admiration of powerhouse Australian batting displays.
Expressing its dismay at the Australian batting performance, even though it has boosted England's hopes for the Ashes, The Times likened it to a duck-billed platypus, saying that their performance was far from the hard-liner Australian batsmen of the yester-years.
Stating that the former Australian legends were tough, muscular and without compromise, the paper further said that they played without sparing themselves or their opponents and saw loyalty as an aspect of hardness, unlike the current side, which was soft, muddled, doubtful and stupid instead of being hard, sharp, confident and smart.
Agreeing with the verdict of The Times, the Guardian went a step further, calling the touring side as a 'disconsolate trudge and 'a technological naivety', and called the batsmen as impermanent.
The Daily Mail wrote that Australia's deficiencies had so far been covered over by some remarkable individual displays but were laid bare for the entire world, adding that even though the current team has individual heroic tales like last man Ashton Agar's 98, they do not have the depth to capitalise on these 'little miracles'.
Stating that only exceptional individuals can conquer a team sport, the paper pin-pointed Australia's problem as a 'collection of second-rate boys' own stories and freaky fairy-tales' and also detailed the dismissal of Chris Rogers by Graeme Swann's full toss with disbelief, terming it as bizarre.
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Lamenting at what appears to be the lack of a competitive series after a false dawn at Trent Bridge, The Telegraph said that an anti-climactic sense settled over Lord's when Australia fouled up their decision reviews and let go of the series, adding that there was something about Australia's batting that said they are beyond saving in this series.
Joining the media in criticising the tourists, former England captain Nasser Hussain described the Aussie batting display as 'a shambles', saying that any Test player should be able to knuckle down and show responsibility, adding that Australia showed none of the expected fighting spirit.