Alastair Cook passed Geoffrey Boycott on England's all-time leading run-scorers list on Monday, but the former Test opener believes the current captain is presiding over a "recipe for resignation". England's fresh start after their Ashes misery looks set to be dramatically doused by Sri Lanka, who on Tuesday will likely seal a first-ever series win in the country.
Angelo Mathews' 160 helped Sri Lanka set England a winning target of 350 at Headingley and their response was an awful one, closing the fourth day on 57 for five. Cook chopped on to his own stumps for 17 as part of that collapse and little continues to go right for the captain, whose wet winter has turned into a shocking spring.
Questions had already been raised about his ability to captain the side - chiefly from Shane Warne - and Boycott can see why. "Cook is in that sort of form where he'll get out in ways he couldn't dream up. That was a short long hop which he pulls well, it's one of his favourite shots, and he got an under-side edge onto the stumps," he told the Test Match Special podcast.
"It's like when you're playing well and you can plunder runs from anywhere. He cannot get a run, he'll get tenser, it'll get harder for him and I don't know how he's going to get out of it. We've had a very, very bad day. We thought the nightmare of Australia was over, but it's still here. This is a side... I don't know where we go. From a winning position we will lose, the captain is in terrible form and it's a recipe for resignation. I don't know if he will but it is."
Boycott was keen to add he has no problem with Cook as an individual or even as a player, but raised issues relating to how Sri Lanka were able to get into a winning position as Mathews manipulated the field at will. He added: "I want to be fair to him because I love him, he's a lovely boy. My daughter has a boyfriend but if she didn't and went out with him, I mean when he was single, he's a lovely lad, one of the nicest people you could wish (to meet).
"He's a top batsman just in bad form, but he's a smashing lad. I have no problem with him setting that field, none at all. When it doesn't work, that's when I have a problem with it. Where's the innovation, the invention, the try-something-different?"
Boycott also laid blame at the door of James Anderson and Stuart Broad. The duo were unable to make an impact on the Sri Lankan middle and lower orders, leaving Mathews free to do as he pleased. "I won't say we've played rubbish but there have been moments when we have been rubbish," he said.
"I'm trying to be honest and sensible and not have any histrionics because we've had a bad day but this was pathetic. The bowling of Anderson, one of the best bowlers in the world, swing and seam... We've had two new balls this second innings and he's bowled some tripe at times. He's swung it, cut it, made it bounce, but it's either been too full, too wide and short, down leg side, there's no wonder he doesn't get wickets at Headingley.
"I'm only telling the truth, I don't take any pleasure talking about a great bowler like Jimmy, and he's a wonderful swing and seam bowler, his record is fabulous, and Stuart Broad hasn't been that much better. You have to use words like rubbish and pathetic at times. Two of the finest bowlers in the world, they are not young kids in their first Test matches. Stuart Broad, (Graeme Swann) Swanny says, says he believes he bowls as fast as Michael Holding, I wish he did he might have won the match for us," Boycott said.
Angelo Mathews' 160 helped Sri Lanka set England a winning target of 350 at Headingley and their response was an awful one, closing the fourth day on 57 for five. Cook chopped on to his own stumps for 17 as part of that collapse and little continues to go right for the captain, whose wet winter has turned into a shocking spring.
Questions had already been raised about his ability to captain the side - chiefly from Shane Warne - and Boycott can see why. "Cook is in that sort of form where he'll get out in ways he couldn't dream up. That was a short long hop which he pulls well, it's one of his favourite shots, and he got an under-side edge onto the stumps," he told the Test Match Special podcast.
"It's like when you're playing well and you can plunder runs from anywhere. He cannot get a run, he'll get tenser, it'll get harder for him and I don't know how he's going to get out of it. We've had a very, very bad day. We thought the nightmare of Australia was over, but it's still here. This is a side... I don't know where we go. From a winning position we will lose, the captain is in terrible form and it's a recipe for resignation. I don't know if he will but it is."
Boycott was keen to add he has no problem with Cook as an individual or even as a player, but raised issues relating to how Sri Lanka were able to get into a winning position as Mathews manipulated the field at will. He added: "I want to be fair to him because I love him, he's a lovely boy. My daughter has a boyfriend but if she didn't and went out with him, I mean when he was single, he's a lovely lad, one of the nicest people you could wish (to meet).
"He's a top batsman just in bad form, but he's a smashing lad. I have no problem with him setting that field, none at all. When it doesn't work, that's when I have a problem with it. Where's the innovation, the invention, the try-something-different?"
Boycott also laid blame at the door of James Anderson and Stuart Broad. The duo were unable to make an impact on the Sri Lankan middle and lower orders, leaving Mathews free to do as he pleased. "I won't say we've played rubbish but there have been moments when we have been rubbish," he said.
"I'm trying to be honest and sensible and not have any histrionics because we've had a bad day but this was pathetic. The bowling of Anderson, one of the best bowlers in the world, swing and seam... We've had two new balls this second innings and he's bowled some tripe at times. He's swung it, cut it, made it bounce, but it's either been too full, too wide and short, down leg side, there's no wonder he doesn't get wickets at Headingley.
"I'm only telling the truth, I don't take any pleasure talking about a great bowler like Jimmy, and he's a wonderful swing and seam bowler, his record is fabulous, and Stuart Broad hasn't been that much better. You have to use words like rubbish and pathetic at times. Two of the finest bowlers in the world, they are not young kids in their first Test matches. Stuart Broad, (Graeme Swann) Swanny says, says he believes he bowls as fast as Michael Holding, I wish he did he might have won the match for us," Boycott said.
