Edgbaston, Jun 12: England Test skipper Andrew Strauss has said his team lacked intensity in the third Test against West Indies and would need to sharpen up against South Africa later in the summer.
The match ended in a draw after the fifth day’s play was washed out without a ball being bowled, with England 221-5 in reply to West Indies’ 426.
England won the first two Tests to clinch the series, but struggled at Edgbaston, dropping three routine slip catches and allowing pace bowler Tino Best to score 95, a record Test score by a number 11, The BBC reports.
“We certainly didn''t get everything right while we were out there in the field. There are areas we need to sharpen up on - obviously we dropped a few catches, you don''t want to be in a situation when number 11 gets 95 all that often and we found ourselves under a bit of pressure with the bat,” said Strauss.
Strauss insisted the decision to rest pacers had no bearing on England’s under-par display.
“I don''t think it had anything to do with players being rested. I think for us a lot of it was about getting Finn and Onions back in the side, I think they''ve both deserved to be back in the side,” he said.
“As a Test side, I think we''ve learnt a little bit more about the balance of our bowling attack and what each of our bowlers brings to the party in differing conditions.”
It is now 12 years since West Indies last won a Test in England at Edgbaston.
© ANI
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