Graham Thorpe talks England's difficulties ahead of fourth Ashes Test

Graham Thorpe believes England’s under-performing batters have been handed “a wake-up call” by their Ashes travails and has already begun the work of rebuilding their techniques.

With head coach Chris Silverwood in isolation due to the Covid-19 outbreak in the touring camp, Thorpe will step up from his assistant role to take charge of the New Year Test in Sydney.

At 3-0 down, the series and the urn are long gone but there are no hiding places for a batting unit that has been ruthlessly exposed by Australia’s high-class pace attack.

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