Root downplays Anderson's harsh criticism

England paceman James Anderson says he was frustrated that the team's coaches didn't tell the pacemen to bowl fuller during the day-night Test in Adelaide.

cricket

Joe Root says bowler Jimmy Anderson's criticism of coaches was a little harsh. (AAP)

England captain Joe Root says it was slightly harsh for paceman James Anderson to blame the coaches for the team's poor first-innings bowling display in Adelaide.

Australia made the most of England's short bowling to compile 8(dec)-442 in the first innings of the day-night Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval.

England got their lengths right in the second innings, skittling Australia for 138.

But by then the damage had already been done, with Australia winning the Test by 120 runs to take a 2-0 lead in the series.

Anderson, who snared 5-43 in the second innings, said both the players and coaches were to blame for the poor first-innings display.

"We should have bowled a touch fuller. It was an oversight from the players on the field, but also from the coaches who could have had an input too, which is frustrating," Anderson wrote in his column for The Telegraph.

But Root said it was up to the players to assess the situation and adapt accordingly.

"I think the relationship has been really good," Root said of the bond between players and coaches.

"I think we got it wrong on the field. It's easy to look back and say, 'Go on and try and bowl that little bit fuller'. We all knew that was the case.

"I think it's probably slightly harsh to put the blame on the coaches.

"It might not be exactly how he (Anderson) wanted that to come across in the way it did.

"Ultimately us guys out on the field are responsible for what we're doing out there, and we have to be smarter and react quicker."

Root accepted responsibility for not alerting his bowlers to bowl fuller.

"You've got to pick up on these things quite quickly, and as a group you've got to adapt," Root said.

"It's a lesson we've definitely got to learn for this surface, and make sure that we find that right length which is going to cause Australia as many problems as possible."


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Source: AAP



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