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THE GABBA — Brendon McCullum’s folksy, laid-back Kiwi ways are not cutting it with England’s fans any more. Not after these first two Ashes Tests .

But weirdly, it might actually be exactly what the players need as they try to rouse themselves for the rest of the series.

McCullum’s repeated post-match assertion that he thought his squad had “overprepared” for Brisbane felt like a tipping point.

After all the complaints about England’s lack of preparation for this series from former players, supporters understandably felt like they were being gaslit.

It was an awful look for

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