THE current 50-over World Cup champions are down and almost out of the tournament after suffering a damaging defeat to South Africa.
The Proteas inflicted a 229-run defeat to the much changed England side from their previous loss against Afghanistan, yet the performance was far from different.
A more cut throat process was made with team selection, three changes made, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran and Chris Woakes, all of which are all rounders, were excluded to make way for two front line seamers, David Willey and Gus Atkinson, and one superstar, Ben Stokes.
The English top six batters, the power-house, must’ve been licking their lips at the hard and fast paced Mumbai pitch, a high scoring ground, 37 degrees celcius out in the middle, ideal batting conditions…
… we will have a bowl – Jos Butler at the coin toss.
South African step in captain Aiden Markram, replacing an ill Temba Bavuma, was gleaming as his side wanted to bat first anyways.
Those watching were dubious of Butler’s decision to be bowling first in the sauna like stadium, but some might’ve reminisced of our ‘success’ of chasing down first innings totals, bolstered with a stronger bowling line up.
But since becoming victorious in the 2019 World Cup, England have only won 11 out of 24 ODI’s bowling first, losing 10, so should the ‘we are a chasing team’ blueprint be scrapped ?
On the most recent occasions it probably should’ve been, regardless of the talent the current world champions have, the common sense is lacking, exposing themselves unnecessarily to external elements, the Indian climate being the most damaging.
