'˜I wouldn't play Ball in next Test,' says former England captain

Jake Ball has come under fire from former England Test captain Kevin Pietersen.
IN PICTURE: Jake Ball.

CAPTION SHOULD READ: PICTURE BY MARK FEAR/MARK FEAR PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTOGRAPHER: MARK FEAR - MARK FEAR PHOTOGRAPHY.  CONTACT markfearphotographer@outlook.com (+44) 753 977 3354

STORY: NOTTS COUNTY CRICKET PRESS/MEDIA DAY AT TRENT BRIDGE CRICKET GROUND, NOTTINGHAM.
FRIDAY 31ST MARCH 2017.
PHOTOGRAPHER: MARK FEARIN PICTURE: Jake Ball.

CAPTION SHOULD READ: PICTURE BY MARK FEAR/MARK FEAR PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTOGRAPHER: MARK FEAR - MARK FEAR PHOTOGRAPHY.  CONTACT markfearphotographer@outlook.com (+44) 753 977 3354

STORY: NOTTS COUNTY CRICKET PRESS/MEDIA DAY AT TRENT BRIDGE CRICKET GROUND, NOTTINGHAM.
FRIDAY 31ST MARCH 2017.
PHOTOGRAPHER: MARK FEAR
IN PICTURE: Jake Ball. CAPTION SHOULD READ: PICTURE BY MARK FEAR/MARK FEAR PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOGRAPHER: MARK FEAR - MARK FEAR PHOTOGRAPHY. CONTACT [email protected] (+44) 753 977 3354 STORY: NOTTS COUNTY CRICKET PRESS/MEDIA DAY AT TRENT BRIDGE CRICKET GROUND, NOTTINGHAM. FRIDAY 31ST MARCH 2017. PHOTOGRAPHER: MARK FEAR

Ball was part of the England team that succumbed to a 10-wicket defeat by Australia in the first Ashes encounter of the winter tour Down Under.

The Notts bowler took just one wicket at the expense of 115 runs at the Gabba in Brisbane and Pietersen believes he should be dropped for the second Test.

Pietersen - a four-time Ashes winner - could see several areas the England camp need to improve on ahead of the Adelaide match which starts on 2nd December.

“Is Jake Ball any good? I don’t think so, not at this level in Australia from what I have seen, especially with the hype leading into this Test match about him having to play,” Pietersen told BT Sport.

“I wouldn’t play Ball in the next Test match, absolutely no chance. I’d play Mason Crane, I know it’s under lights but it’s that variation of a leg-spin bowler.

“It’s a real, real, real concern. The concern is the tail of England, it didn’t wag.

“The concern is the top order, nobody seemed to be able to play the short ball well, if you want to score runs in Australia you have to play the short ball well.”

Not even England’s best ever bowler was exempt from feeling the full force of Pietersen’s sharp tongue.

“There are concerns over (James) Anderson producing in this Test match, did he? No he didn’t.

“There are concerns, there are issues. If they go down in Adelaide, this could be a long trip,” added Pietersen, whose last Test for England came in the 2013 5-0 whitewash in Australia.

Pietersen was part of the historic 2005 Ashes winning side and went on to average 47.28 from 104 Tests for England, accumulating 8,181 runs, between 2005 and 2014.

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