The dangerous drivers

BUTCHER CO FOR BAD BACKS THEM BLASTS STOKES AND PLANNING, BUT TO KEEP FIRING

- BY GARY FITZGERALD

BEN STOKES and his men must get “smart” Down Under and balance brawn with brains in Brisbane to reignite their Ashes hopes.

Joe Root, Zak Crawley and England's other top-order players have been urged to cut out the “dangerous drives” if they quickly want to get back on level terms against the Aussies.

The tourists go into the pink-ball day-night Test (Thursday, 4am UK time) on a recovery mission after their Perth misery.

Former England Test batter Mark Butcher believes a “hurting” Stokes side will come out fighting - and even a struggling Crawley will keep his opening spot despite his 11-ball twin ducks in Perth

But he hopes to see a big change in attitude and technique from England.

Butcher said: “Losing the opening Test against what was virtually a second-string Aussie attack, was pretty bad. It will have hurt them.

"But with this team under Stokes and Brendon McCullum, you often go through wild swings of emotions, and ups and downs.