England’s excruciating Cricket World Cup defence is all but over after yet another shambolic defeat, this time against a Sri Lanka side led by their former head coach Chris Silverwood.
The 2019 champions turned in a meek, error-strewn performance with the bat, blown away for just 156 in Bengaluru, and barely fared any better with the ball as their opponents breezed home by eight wickets in Bengaluru on Thursday.
Jos Buttler’s side have now lost four of their five games by heavy margins – beaten by New Zealand, Afghanistan, South Africa and now Sri Lanka – and can start booking an early trip home despite having four fixtures still to play in a torturous group stage.
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“It looks like it could need a few miracles – that we’d have to win every game and things go our way to progress further in this tournament,” a gloomy Buttler said.
There was an extra layer to their latest humbling given Silverwood’s presence in blue and gold. He served as England’s bowling coach when they lifted the trophy four years ago and was hand-picked to take over the top job from Trevor Bayliss soon after.
But Silverwood was sacked after a dire Ashes campaign in 2021-22 and now, rather than guiding his country through this tournament as he once expected, he has effectively sealed their departure from it.
Current England coach Matthew Mott and his skipper Buttler have both now conceded they are now only playing for pride, while the latter accepts he could face the sack.
“To be sat here now with the three weeks we’ve had is a shock. It’s a shock to everyone,” Buttler said.
“I’ll walk back in the dressing room after this, look at the players and think ‘how have we found ourselves in this position with the talent and the skill that’s in the room?’.
“But it’s the reality of what’s happened over the last three weeks and that’s a huge low point.
“I certainly have a lot of confidence and belief in myself as a leader and captain and first and foremost as a player, but if you’re asking if I should still be captaining the team, that’s a question for the guys above me.
“The tournament’s gone nowhere near the way we wanted it to… that much is obvious. As a leader, you want to lead through your own performance and I’ve not been able to do that.”
A scrappy 43 from Ben Stokes was the best England could muster and that was promptly put in perspective as Pathum Nissanka (77 not out) and Sadeera Samarawickrama (65no) peeled off an effortless century stand in response.
In all England used just 33.2 overs in the first innings and 25.4 in the second, a damning indictment on all fronts.
The day started with the latest confusing selection from England, who dropped rising star Harry Brook and rookie seamer Gus Atkinson as they fielded a side comprised entirely of thirty-somethings for the first time ever in ODI cricket.
Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow took 45 from the first 39 deliveries, but optimism was quickly shattered by the introduction of old foe Angelo Mathews, called up as an injury replacement just a couple of days ago and embarking on his first ODI spell in three-and-a-half years.
It took the 36-year-old just three deliveries to get back in the groove, Malan caught behind for 28 chasing a cutter.
Then with excellent fielding, Mathews picked up and threw in one swift movement, leaving Kusal Mendis to obliterate the stumps as Joe Root dived in vain.
The errors kept coming, Bairstow reaching 30 before a cross-batted swat at Kasun Rajitha plonked straight to mid-on. Lahiru Kumara had Buttler flashing to slip and Liam Livingstone lbw.
Stokes went on the attack, despite struggling for timing, but lost two more partners as Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes spoon-fed catches to backward point.
When Stokes dragged a pull down deep-midwicket’s throat, England’s hopes died – though there was still worse to come.
Instead of contributing late runs Adil Rashid ran himself out when he’d stepped out of his crease at the non-striker’s end, with opposing wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis taking full advantage.
“That is dopey from Adil Rashid. It’s absolutely brilliant from Sri Lanka’s captain,” Ian Ward said in commentary.
His commentary partner added: “(Mendis) kind of waited a second, that was clever. (England) lost wickets to soft dismissals and this is the last one.”
David Willey, who hit England’s only six of the innings, also started gamely with the ball, getting rid of Kusal Perera and the dangerous Mendis but Samarawickrama and Nissanka knocked off the runs in a composed manner.
Nissanka sealed victory in style by slamming the expensive Rashid for a big six over long-on.
– with 7NEWS
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