"Danger Of Reducing Ashes...": England Great's Scathing Criticism Of Ben Stokes And Co.

Former captain Geoffrey Boycott has lashed out at Ben Stokes and Co. for getting "carried away with Bazball" and not making winning a priority, adding that England are in danger of reducing the Ashes to an exhibition series. England, playing an aggressive brand of cricket under coach Brendon McCullum and skipper Stokes, were on the wrong side of the result as they suffered a two-wicket loss in the Ashes opener in Edgbaston earlier this week.

"England are in danger of reducing the Ashes to an exhibition," Boycott wrote in his scathing column for 'The Telegraph'.

"England have got carried away with Bazball and seem to think entertaining is more important than winning. But England supporters want one thing more than anything else -- to win the Ashes." The legendary cricketer said winning is more important than entertaining.

"Scoring fast runs, whacking lots of fours and sixes is lovely. It is great. But only if England do not lose sight of the big prize which is to beat Australia. If at the end of the series Australia go home with the Ashes we will feel sick, regardless of how much we have been entertained." Boycott claimed that the much-anticipated Ashes series between the two rivals would lose its importance if England don't play to win.

"If England are not playing to win then these Ashes Tests are not that important. They are only exhibition matches. They have got it back to front. It is not about entertaining and then winning. It is about winning first.

"By all means entertain but cricket is like chess. There are moments when you need to defend. Sometimes you need to be patient and accept it.

"Do not just attack, attack, attack. England need a bit of common sense and pragmatism. That is all that is required. They do not