Just a week before the 2023 World Cup began, England were everyone’s joint favourites to contest the final of the quadrennial event with hosts India on November 19 in Ahmedabad. Almost halfway through the event though, the defending champions are on the verge of being packed off.
Saturday’s 229-run drubbing at the hands of South Africa at the Wankhede in Mumbai’s haze, exposed the frailties of the defending champions, who have now lost three games out of four, and that includes a 69-run loss to Afghanistan.
To defend their crown from here, they need to win seven games on the bounce. Does Jos Buttler’s team have the men or the mettle for that?
“We won’t be defending anything, we will be attacking,” were Buttler’s words in the captain’s day event on the eve of their tournament-opener in Ahmedabad. His side though has been anything but attacking. Timid in the powerplay and profligate with the ball, they have failed to exert any pressure on their rivals.
England, under Morgan, used to intimidate. In this World Cup, under Buttler, they have looked slow in the field, carrying a team whose average age is in the mid-30s and in flat sub-continent conditions, a bowling attack that has looked undercooked and ineffective.
Chris Woakes, a monster in helpful conditions, has failed to exert pressure. He has also had his struggles in the IPL and in white-ball games in India. David Willey and Reece Topley, after starting well against South Africa, did not seem to have the variety, pace, fitness, or skill set to deceive well set batters on a true pitch. The sparse use of Moeen Ali’s all-round skills in a tournament where finger spinners enjoyed themselves was curious.
England have been the only side to have used all 15 players in their line-up in just four games. Confused selection? May be. Against South Africa, they went from a side that usually has batters till No. 8 who can tonk the ball, to only six batters with Willey batting at No.7. Imagine Liam Livingstone batting on a Wankhede road with Moeen.
Jonny Bairstow, who formed a fearsome partnership with Roy during England’s glory days, has not looked the same batter who Bazballs opponents in red-ball cricket in the middle-order when he bats with Dawid Malan.
1/10:World Cup: Klaasen smashes ton as South Africa thump England
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2/10:Klaasen's leads South Africa to victory
Heinrich Klaasen scores a 61-ball century as South Africa posted 399 and bowled England out for 170.AFP
3/10:England's title defense in jeopardy
Defending champions England have lost three of their opening four games and are at risk of not making the semi-finals.AFP
4/10:South Africa batters overwhelm England
England's bowlers struggle to contain South Africa's power hitting in hot and humid conditions.PTI
5/10:Klaasen & Jansen's record partnership
Heinrich Klaasen and Marco Jansen put on a 151-run partnership, the highest run-rate in a 150-run stand in World Cup history.AFP
6/10:England's batting collapse
England's reply falters as they slip to 68/6 before a late rally from Mark Wood and Gus Atkinson.AFP
7/10:South Africa's all-round performance
Stand-in captain Aiden Markram praised South Africa's fantastic all-round performance and bounced back from defeat to the Netherlands.AFP
8/10:Hendricks and Rassie's partnership
South Africa's Reeza Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen put on a 121-run partnership for the second wicket.AFP
9/10:South Africa's late flourish
South Africa scored 143 runs in the last 10 overs to record the highest total ever against England in a World Cup.AFP
10/10:England's disappointing performance
England captain Jos Buttler expressed disappointment as they fell short of their best cricket and were well beaten by South Africa.ReutersEven before the tournament began, the exclusion of first Harry Brook followed by his inclusion after dropping out one of their main batters during their white-ball renaissance, Jason Roy, showcased the muddled thinking. The red carpet extended to Ben Stokes to reverse his decision of retiring from ODIs to have a crack at the World Cup, despite knowing he cannot bowl because of a dodgy knee, sent mixed signals. That he had to miss three games because of a hip issue added to England’s woes.
After the debacle of Adelaide in March 2015, where they were knocked out of the World Cup by an inspired Bangladesh, the then England coach Peter Moores was heavily criticized, almost lampooned, for relying on data and stats.
By the evidence of what has been on show in India in this World Cup, it seems England, under Matthew Mott, have gone back to those methods.
Buttler’s decision to field first at Wankhede was because it is a good chasing ground, but that is mostly in the IPL where teams field first under lights, for 90 minutes, which is far less oppressive than being roasted in October heat, for four hours. Also, just 12 out of 23 games being won by team chasing, doesn’t indicate a huge advantage. England were knackered by the time they resumed their batting innings.
Former skipper Nasser Hussain rightly pointed that out while analysing England’s struggles on SkySports. “I hear a lot about statistics, and Eoin Morgan used statistics, but there was a lot of gut feeling there too. You need to get your decisions right, don't just go to your default settings."
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England played 99 games in 24 series’/tournaments between the 2015 and 2019 World Cups, prioritizing ODI cricket under ECB director Andrew Strauss and skipper Eoin Morgan. Between the 2019 and 2023 World Cups, they played just 42 games in 15 series. With Covid-19, the format to take the biggest hit was ODIs, but other teams found a way around it. Key players refusing national contracts to be available for T20 leagues is also a factor. There is talk of Buttler too being lured by an annual contract by the Royals.
The advent of the Hundred may also have played its part in shaking up the calendar as it pushed England’s premier domestic ODI competition, The Royal London One-Day Cup, at the fag end of the season, meaning low priority.
After the 2015 World Cup, England have been in the semifinal of every white-ball ICC tournament, winning two of them, the 2019 ODI World Cup at home and the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. They underwent a reboot in red-ball cricket under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum. If they don’t qualify for the semis, don’t rule out another reboot in white-ball cricket too.
