Ashes 2015: Australia 'pathetic and embarrassing' - Boycott

Michael Clarke (left) has not scored an overseas hundred since his 161 not out against South Africa in March 2014

Australia's batting collapse on day two of the third Ashes Test was "pathetic" and "embarrassing", says former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott.

"They are novices at playing the moving ball," Boycott said on BBC Test Match Special. "It was an embarrassing day for Australia.

"Their batting was as pathetic as it was in the first innings."

Boycott said Australia captain Michael Clarke is "under the cosh" and "lucky to be averaging 18".

Clarke was caught at slip off Steven Finn for three and has just 94 runs in six innings in this series.

Steven Finn claimed his second Ashes five-wicket haul, almost five years after his first

Boycott also criticised Australia's bowling, saying he was "amazed at how badly" Mitchell Starc had bowled.

Starc took nine wickets in the first two Tests of this series but was largely ineffective in taking 2-71 in England's innings at Edgbaston.

"He had no discipline or direction. It was wild and wayward and down the leg side," Boycott said.

Boycott praised England's Steven Finn, who took 5-45, saying he "bowled some really good balls".

Finn told BBC Radio 5 live he was "in a good place".

He added: "There were lots of hurdles to overcome. Now I'm just running up and bowling, thinking about what the ball's doing. It took a while to unravel it all, but no-one goes through their career without going through ups and downs.

"I've had a down and this day is certainly an up. I'd rather think about today than the past. To do it in an Ashes Test means a whole lot more."

Finn also defended former England coach Ashley Giles, who was criticised on Twitter for having described Finn as "unselectable" in January 2014.

Ashley Giles defended his treatment of Steven Finn on social media

"I don't think it was meant in a derogatory way," Finn said. "He was talking about how I couldn't have been picked to go out there and do a job for England in a one-day international in that series."

Giles also defended his comments on 5 live, saying: "He was clearly in a bad place and the best thing to do was send him home. He actually was unselectable.

"No-one wanted Steve around more than me. He was one of our key performers but he was a shadow of his former self at that time."