Kevin pietersen calls for jake ball to be dropped for adelaide test

By GLEN WILLIAMS FOR MAILONLINE Published: 22:26 EDT, 26 November 2017 | Updated: 04:21 EDT, 27 November 2017 Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has called for Jake Ball to be dropped

for the next Test in Adelaide following England's 10-wicket hammering at the Gabba. Pietersen believes Ball, who took 1-115 in Brisbane, should be axed to allow uncapped leg-spinner

Mason Crane the opportunity under the lights in the day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval. England's pace attack were ineffective in the second innings as David Warner and debutant

Cameron Bancroft made light work of England's meagre target of 170. And Pietersen, whose last Test for England came in that 5-0 whitewash Down Under four years ago, believes England

must act quickly if they are to avoid the same fate this time around. 'I’d make a change,' the 104-cap batsman said on BT Sport. 'I wouldn’t play Ball in the next Test match,

absolutely not. Absolutely no chance. 'Mason Crane, I’d play. I know it’s under lights but it gives that variation of a leg-spin bowler. One spinning away, one spinning in. 'Moeen

Ali, we’ve got an issue with his finger — do you want Joe Root bowling all the overs? No, I don’t think you do ­— you’ve got to get another spinner in there.' Ali's injury to his

spinning finger limited his impact on the game with the ball, meaning Root, a part-timer, was forced to bowl over 10 overs in the match. Former England tweaker Swann, who famously quit

halfway through that last Ashes series in Australia, was left concerned by the tourists' spinning options.  ‘I don’t think we played this game with a spinner,' said Swann.

'Moeen Ali was very ineffective, he wasn’t putting anything on the ball. 'So, Crane is the other option. Rooty was our best spinner in this game — that worries me.' Michael

Vaughan, however, hopes England sticks to their guns and allow this four-pronged seam attack of Ball, Chris Woakes, James Anderson and Stuart Broad the opportunity with the pink ball in

Adelaide.  'The England four that were picked for this Test match were the right four to play here,' said Vaughan, the architect of that famous Ashes win in 2005. 'I’d go

again with them in four days’ time. 'I haven’t seen enough of Craig Overton to suggest that he’d be any better. I haven’t seen enough from (Tom) Curran to suggest he’d be any better. As

long as their bodies are fine, I’d give these four the right opportunity with that pink ball. 'We expect there will be a little more movement and I think these four should be given

that chance to try and create intensity in the middle with a moving ball.'    AshesEngland Cricket