As promised, I have cracked after less than two weeks. To be fair though, if you're going to talk about the never-ending Cricket World Cup group stages, you might as well do it about one of the most remarkable upsets in the game's history. Here are the simple facts: it was the highest successful run-chase in the history of the World Cup, we saw the fastest World Cup hundred of all-time by a man with pink hair and we witnessed yet another shambles from the England bowling and fielding unit in this tournament. The opposition? Ireland. Chasing down 328 with 3 wickets and 5 balls remaining is tough at the best of times. When you find yourself 111-5 as an Associate nation, it becomes nigh on impossible. England were 1-2000 to win the game at that point. Anyone who had a flutter on the Irish is probably cackling to themselves on their way to somewhere exotic right now.
First of all, we should start with the Irish batting performance. It was, quite simply, magnificent. Even though it wasn't the top order who got all the runs, they more than played their part after losing captain William Porterfield first ball. From that point they attempted to dictate terms to the English pacemen and largely succeeded. Ed Joyce, England's opener in the 2007 World Cup, played an anchoring role and allowed Paul Stirling and Niall O'Brien to play their natural game and keep their team up with the substantial run rate. It was a high-risk strategy that looked like it had backfired when Graeme Swann found some lovely purchase from the pitch to pick up 3 quick wickets. But that was where England's joy ended. For in walked Kevin O'Brien, his usually ginger hair now pink, along with Alex Cusack, a late injury replacement. And boy, did O'Brien go for it. No bowler was spared the punishment, predominantly hitting over extra cover or through midwicket, but also managing some lovely deflections off his legs when the likes of Stuart Broad invariably bowled leg-side deliveries. And Cusack... well he just let O'Brien get on with it, accumulating slowly and quietly, only breaking out a few lusty blows of his own when his partner began to tire. 162 runs came for the 6th wicket and by the time Cusack was run out, England were on their knees and the game was all but won.
Cusack takes a lot of credit for the supporting role in this piece, and rightly so. But for me, the unsung hero of the hour was John Mooney. His batting was crucial - as O'Brien's boundaries eventually dried up after his 100 was brought up off 50 balls. England's death bowlers consistently failed to find the blockhole once again, and Mooney was more than happy to give himself some room and see the side over the line with a crucial unbeaten 34, containing 6 late boundaires. However, his bowling at the end of England's innings must also be creditted. 4-63 was his career best, and the wickets came after Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell had assembled a seemingly unbreakable partnership. In the end, just 33 runs came in the last 5 overs, as Mooney got the ball on the spot and proved very difficult to get away for big runs. Had he failed, England would easily have got to 350, a target that even O'Brien would have struggled to get the side to.
And so to England, the main reason I felt compelled to write this piece. Not necessarily about the performance either. Needless to say, it was pretty awful and not totally unexpected given the jittery way they had gone about their business in the field thus far this tournament. I was more concerned about the reaction of my fellow cricket fans and their astonishing lack of foresight and hindsight.
"What are the selectors doing - drop Collingwood and Anderson now!" was one reaction. "This team is terrible and needs sorting out NOW" was another. What's with the hysteria? The fact is that 10 out of the 11 playing yesterday (odd one out - Michael Yardy) played a role in the Ashes series Down Under. The side was exulted from up high as one of England's greatest ever. And yet here we are. Professional sportsmen are allowed a bad day at the office. Just as we students are allowed the odd day rocking up to a lecture with a slight hangover. It doesn't make them any less of a cricketer, just one who needs to bounce back on Sunday against South Africa (who look ominous by the way, which probably means a dramatic semi-final exit at the hands of the Australians is on the cards). Not only were the demands for sweeping changes a bit disrespectful, the replacements suggested were also ludicrous. Fine, Bopara in for Yardy, I can see that. But Kieswetter or Davies for Prior? Not a chance.
I'm a Somerset fan and I've seen enough of Craig Kieswetter to know that he's a talented lad. But right now, his technique is not suited to the longer form of the game at international level and his keeping is nowhere near the standard of Prior's. Steven Davies, whilst I totally respect the things he's said in the media this week, has yet to capitilise on the opportunities he's been given. Prior has not yet made any runs in the World Cup, but he always plays the situation and has come in when England have got big runs and need to push on at a good clip. That he got out playing a big shot early on indicates a selfless cricketer - if England were 100-5, he would graft and play sensibly before accelerating. The younger alternatives do not have that maturity.
I can see where people are coming from with Collingwood - he hasn't made big runs in any form for England in a long long time. However, he still has a key role to play in this side in the short-term (he should certainly think about packing it all in soonish). The case in point being the run chase against Holland. Chasing 290-odd, everyone had got themselves in and then out again. Not Colly, who played some clever shots late on in tandem with Ravi Bopara to get the side over the line reasonably comfortably in the end and save face (for the time being). He can still hit a long ball at the death, as proven yesterday, and his medium pace off-cutters bring balance to the side and allow them the luxury of another batsman. Jimmy Anderson is a different matter - he is simply a class bowler not finding the pitches of the subcontinent to his liking just now. He should not be dropped for the plain fact that he always is a match-winning threat - a couple of dodgy spells does not change that. Ajmal Shahzad and James Tredwell, the bowling alternatives available, do not offer such pedigree. Chris Tremlett, travelling reserve in case of injury, would probably struggle even more on these wickets.
My message is this - don't panic! There are still three group games left and England have batted well so far. The bowling unit will improve as they become more used to the conditions (remember - England arrived latest at the tournament due to the epic tour Down Under) and the fielders have a point to prove. Let us not take the gloss off a magnificent Ireland performance by apportioning blame and hanging responsibilities on individuals who, although culpable, deserve an awful lot better.
RM
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