LONDON, July 24: Team England have decided to take collective responsibility for their defeat in the second Test against South Africa at Headingley, effectively burying controversy over the selection of Northampton fast bowler Darren Pattinson

After England’s crushing defeat in Leeds, captain Michael Vaughan claimed that his team had been unsettled by the late addition of Pattinson and the dropping of Paul Collingwood. He also described the selection as “confused” - a comment that Miller wanted to investigate more closely as he travelled to meet Vaughan for a two-hour meeting on Tuesday.

But, according to The Telegraph , Team England have now agreed to take collective responsibility for England’s heaviest defeat since the reign of Duncan Fletcher. “We have got back-to-back Tests starting next week,” Miller said on Wednesday. “If we keep dwelling on what went on at Headingley we won’t have our minds on the games coming up.”

Miller spent most of Thursday in meetings, not only with Vaughan but also at a gathering of his fellow selectors, which was also attended by England coach Peter Moores and Hugh Morris, the managing director of the England team. The panel agreed that there should be no witch hunt into the finer details of how Pattinson came to be in the team.

”Now, we need to get our heads together and work out how to beat a very good South Africa side,” said Miller. Meanwhile, Steve Harmison’s form for Durham has pushed him back into the England’s selection picture and he is most likely to take Pattinson’s place in the third Test.—Agencies