LONDON: England great Geoffrey Boycott has slammed his country's current crop of batsmen after yet another dismal collapse against Australia.
Boycott has been shocked by England's lacklustre efforts with the bat in the latest Ashes series and the former opener launched a scathing attack on Alastair Cook's team after the third day of the second Test in Adelaide.
Fresh from their struggles during the first Test in Brisbane, where they were twice dismissed for less than 200, England lost four wickets for six runs as they were all out for 172 -- Australian all-rounder Mitchell Johnson taking seven for 40 -- on a largely lifeless pitch in response to Australia's 570 for nine.
Several England batsmen were guilty of giving their wicket away too easily and Boycott believes they have taken an overly aggressive limited-overs mindset into the Test arena.
"I think the modern young player grows up with so much one-day cricket, he gets used to playing and having to play lots of attacking shots to every ball bowled in Twenty20 and 50-over cricket," Boycott told Radio 5 Live on Saturday.
"When it comes to Test matches you want them to change and adapt, and sometimes play carefully and sensibly. It's a five-day match, it's like playing chess.
"They've forgotten the art of that, they've never really learnt it and one-day cricket has sucked them in to playing lots of shots."
Kevin Pietersen and Joe Root were singled out for criticism from Boycott for handing the initiative to Australia.
Pietersen clipped Peter Siddle to mid-wicket after Joe Root had struck the first ball he faced from Nathan Lyon to deep square-leg.
"Irresponsible. I could see it coming," Boycott said of Pietersen. "He got out twice like that in Brisbane.
"It was as stupid as you get, just like Joe Root.
"First ball from a spinner, we're trying to save the game, he tries to slog him over the top. All he had to do was carry on batting all day long. There's no excuse for it.
"They haven't got the aptitude and the tail-enders haven't got the courage, they haven't got the technique, they haven't got the bottle and any time (Australia pace bowler) Mitchell Johnson gets to them he'll blow them away."
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