(Express photo by Nirmal Harindran)
‘We have been crap’: Have England hit rock bottom or are they still falling?
Ben Stokes sat speechless for ten seconds. It was relatively a lighthearted icebreaker question: ‘Has there been any happy or funny moment on this tour’. The seconds ticked, before he muttered, “Sorry, I didn’t expect that question”. Five more seconds went by before he added with a smile, “Ask me tomorrow again!”
A short while back, on the eve of the clash against Australia, he had summed up the hellish ride that England have endured in this World Cup. “We have been crap … not having an answer and being able to understand as to why it’s gone wrong is very simple. That’s the answer. Because if we knew what had gone wrong, we would have been able to fix it. But unfortunately, we don’t. It’s just been one of those tournaments where, yeah, it’s just been a disaster. And there’s no point sugarcoating it … the problem is that we’ve been crap,” Stokes had said.
It’s been that kind of a tour. A total “crap”. Where even someone like Ben Stokes can’t think of a single happy moment. Watching England play has been a bizarre experience; imagine how the players feel. They just don’t seem to know what has hit them. It’s one thing to be part of a series where the problems are obvious, known, and the slide into the abyss can be tough but understandable hell – players generally tend to mentally check out of such tours and look to getting back home. (READ MORE)
Well folks, that's that. Another super Saturday comes to an end with two important results. Even though the entirety of a 100 overs game in Bangalore would've been 'paisa wasool', Pakistan deserved their win against New Zealand and are now very much in the race for a place in the semis. They'll face England in their final league stage match. For the defending champions, the most unlikeliest of chance to make it to the final four were buried after a 33-run defeat in Ahmedabad against Australia, who continue their comeback at the ODI World Cup. A fifth straight win it was for Pat Cummins and Co, who will face the mighty Afghanistan - also in the race for the semis. For today though, this is it from us.
Tomorrow, we see the top two teams in the points table lock horns at the Eden Gardens. India vs South Africa. Phew! Good sleep, fellas. Catch you tomorrow at this space for all the updates from a belter of a clash.
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Pat Cummins: "It's been great, the boys played brilliantly, we're getting better with each match. We've improved with each game, still not playing the perfect game. It's something we pride ourselves on, we didn't start well, but the boys have put their hands up, ever since the first 2 games. He has been bowling beautifully in the last 3 games (on Zampa), made 29 and took a banger (of a catch). We thought it was a good wicket and would probably break up to his strength. Maxi and Mitchy will be back, they have had a great tournament and for the others to come in and put in a performance was nice. It wasn't too bad tonight (on the dew), sometimes we do see players getting wet as they slide on, but it wasn't that bad today."
Jos Buttler: "Disappointment, we were having the same chat after the match. Improvements today, more with the bat, but we were still well short, no complaints if you lose by 30 runs. A low point as a captain, you stand in this position, you came to India with high hopes and expectations, we haven't done ourselves any justice, everyone knows how much hard work we've put, these losses weigh high on our shoulders. We did well (with the ball), but we could have done better, we let them put up frustrating little partnerships. With the dew around, we backed ourselves and we fell 30 runs short. It was the right shot to play (on his dismissals), the execution wasn't great, I was trying to take it back to them. I haven't played as well as I can, in such a pivotal position, I think I let myself and my team down. Only way to come back is to put in the hard yards at the nets and come back better in the next game."
Mitchell Starc (to Star Sports): "Keeps the momentum going. Not the best start but we have progressed nicely. We are going along nicely. They would probably claim a moral victory (smiles). They are the defending Champions, we thought they will come aggressively at us. Was generally slow to start with. We didn’t really mention a par score. Zampa took the momentum away. A couple of wickets in the powerplay helped. Zampa has had a helluva a day. Probably didn’t get it right the other night against NZ. Got a proper training session. Sometimes my take-off into the delivery stride forced me to jump into it. The one to Joe Root swung a little late. I certainly heard it. Marnus heard it but he has a poor strike rate when it comes to reviews, gets it right once in 50 (laughs). I don’t think you can take anyone lightly. There is some nip in Wankhede. We saw India bowling superbly the other night."
Adam Zampa: "I mean just summing up the conditions was important. We batted really well to get to 286. The ground got really dewy. Attacking the stumps was important. It came out as good as it ever has. Felt really good. Just tried to be really positive and bat out the 50 overs. Was important to rotate the strike. One of those days. Felt satisfying. Hopefully my best is yet to come."
Josh Hazlewood to bowl the penultimate over. He goes short straightaway and Adil Rashid has a go but is only able to top edge it. It goes miles in the air before falling in the safe grasp of Josh Inglis. That's that. Australia have won their fifth game on a trot at this World Cup. And with that, England are officially out of semifinal contention.
Stoinis will bowl the 48th over. And he doesn't start off well. Two runs and a single are followed by a full toss. Rashid, who's looking to flick it, catches a thick edge and it flies behind for six.
Woakes, searching for another boundary later in the over, locates the fielder at deep square leg.
Cummins to bowl his last over of the night. Goes slightly wide and full, and Woakes has got a hold of it with a lofted shot over long off for six. One of the rare occasions where he's strayed with his the length and also offered pace to the batter to make it go the distance. With three overs left, England need 44 runs to win.
Hazlewood bowls full and Rashid goes for a helicopter shot down mid wicket for four. Even Cameron Green from long on can't get to it with a full stretch dive.
Captain Cummins bowls a brilliant over from the other end, halting the flow of boundaries. Just the three runs from his six that were mixed up nicely for Woakes and Rashid to try anything.
Willey thumps Hazlewood through the mid wicket region for another boundary. Goes for the same shot off the next ball, this time though, he's skied it and guess who takes a sensational catch in the deep. Even after he's done with his spell, Adam Zampa continues to contribute for Australia. A fine catch and England go eight down.
The topsy turvy nature of the chase however is brought in the fore with another Woakes boundary off a short ball.
Woakes creams Mitchell Starc for an elegant drive through covers for four. One can't take their eyes off England just yet. Is there another twist in the tale?
Aussie fans, hold on to those premature celebrations. David Willey may be writing a swansong of his own. Finds a couple of boundaries from that Starc over in front of square, either side of the wicket. That punch through covers is exceptionally good. 11 runs from the over.
Moeen Ali has had it. Goes for a slog sweep off Adam Zampa, who's tossed up a leg breaker - taking the pace off. Moeen looks to clear the mid wicket fence but as soon as he connects, there's a realisation. Head down in dejection as he knows, David Warner's waiting for the opportunity by the fence. And he claims it. England lose their set batter. Just the one run from the over and they're crumbling in Ahmedabad.
Cummins bangs it short and Moeen Ali swivels across, only to induce a top edge that flies over the keeper for four.
Later in the over, Woakes plays a more deliberate shot down the ground. An upper cut that runs down short third for four.
Another tight over from Adam Zampa. Just the two runs come from it. England falling under the run rate pressure. Something will have to give in. Will Woakes take up the aggressor's role or will Moeen push for the boundaries?
Pat Cummins replaces Josh Hazlewood and goes short to Liam Livingstone, who meets it with a pull shot through mid wicket. Only for Sean Abbott to take a briliant flying catch to his right. It was struck hard but Abbott was up for it. England go six down and it's turning out to be a familar script for them at this World Cup.
GONE!
Zampa claims the big fish. Ben Stokes is walking back, dejected! Oh, the agony. That was going down the leg side and would've been deemed wide had Stokes let it go. But he didn't and went for a sweep but instead, handed it straight to short fine. England five down.
Another gorgeous shot from Moeen Ali off Josh Hazlewood.
Full and wide outside the off stump and the southpaw caresses it through covers for four. England on the up here in Motera. 169/4 after 34 overs.
Moeen Ali gets into the act. A gorgeous straight drive off Hazlewood down the ground for four. 150 up for England!
Cummins wants to turn to Zampa, but the leggie has been out of the ground for too long and the umpire tells the Australian skipper he can't bowl yet. Stoinis goes in his stead. He gets clipped down the leg side and pumped through square leg for back-to-back boundaries.
Travis Head to Ben Stokes. Short ball, Stokes tracks back in his crease and pulls it over deep square leg for six. These are good signs for England. Australia though, need this wicket quickly.
Mitchell Starc to Ben Stokes. Length delivery on the off stump and the southpaw belts it over square leg but only for a single. Brings up his fifty, first at this World Cup and much needed for England.
Zampa continues. Turns one into Stokes, who'd made his mind up for a pull but is unable to find the sweet spot and rather than a boundary or an uppish shot, out comes another single. But encouraging signs of England's talisman switching to his agressive mode.
Mitchell Starc in for Pat Cummins. Will Stokes fancy him with the southpaw advantage from over the wicket? Not yet. Another over that sees only singles and doubles. Six come from it.
Zampa starts the over with a couple of wides in a row but comes back strongly. Four dot balls and just the single follow. Stokes has barely taken his chances in this innings. Perhaps that's the conversation he'd have had with Moeen Ali as well. Build a partnership from here and go big towards the end.
Cummins to Moeen Ali, over the wicket. Angled away and Moeen gets the faintest of outside edges on it as the ball rolls down short third for four.
Stokes finds a boundary on the other side behind the stumps to close the over. Beats the fine leg fielder. Nine runs come from the over.
Cummins continues to build the pressure from one end. A maiden over follows the one in which he removed Malan. The hard work pays off for Zampa.
The leggie tosses one up to Buttler, who goes for a lofted shot over wide long off but is caught by the fence. His poor tournament continues. England go four down. A brilliant over from Zampa, just the one run off it.
Zampa replaces Head from the other end. Stokes had looked in some discomfort after that six a couple of overs back off Head. Perhaps a cramp on what has been a hot evening in Ahmedabad.
Good news for England though, the southpaw is continuing and looks good while tracking back against Zampa in the over. Three runs come from it.
Pat Cummins replaces Stoinis from the other end. Offers a length ball on the stumps to Malan for his favorite shot. This time though, the southpaw hasn't timed it and it carries straight to the fielder at deep backward square leg. Safe pair of hands from Travis Head and England lose a third wicket.
Head offers a short one and Stokes belts it straight down the ground for six. His first. Brings up the 100 for England, who've switched gears in the last couple of overs.
Malan finds a couple of boundaries off Stoinis. Much needed for England.
Coming round the wicket, Stoinis goes full and down the leg stump and the southpaw doesn't need a second invitation into playing his favorite shot. A swipe down mid wicket for four.
Next up, Stoinis goes short and Malan - rushing on the pull shot - top edges the ball and it runs down the fine leg boundary for four.
Stokes, looking to cut through covers, miscues a ball. 'Catch it!' was the cry, but it was nowhere near the fielder in the ring. Three runs come off Travis Head's second over.
Marcus Stoinis into the attack. Stokes looked like he'd open up after that picture-perfect straight drive off Starc. It's not happened so far. England are still relying upon strike rotation as the required rate keeps rising. Just the two boundaries have come off the last nine overs. Five runs from the latest over.
Travis Head with the ball. It's an opportunity he's always prepared for, as he'd said after the win in Dharamsala last week. Here he is. Keeping the barrage of slower deliveries going. Five come from his first over.
Stokes gets his first boundary. A fuller one from Starc, straight batted down the ground for four. He'd held himself back so far, is this the sign of the shackles being broken through?
Starc from the other end has also taken to the slow-ball tactic. Take the pace off, invite Stokes and Malan to come at you as the run rate pressure spikes up. Can they stay patient and wait for their opportunities to play the big shots? And in doing so, depart from their swashbuckling playing style? That's the test.
Early into his spell, Zampa has taken a page from the Adil Rashid manual in the first innings. Take the pace off the ball. Toss it up, sure, but take the pace off it. It was what helped Rashid remove Steve Smith and Josh Inglis in quick succession early into his spell. It was what helped the England quicks get those wickets in the fag end of the innings. It is what's keeping the Stokes-Malan duo at bay for now.
Adam Zampa introduced into the fray as the field restrictions are lifted. While Cummins continues from the other end. 50 up for England.
They're looking good, these two. But can they see through a chase for England at this World Cup. Something they haven't been able to do so far.
Malan looking to switch gears, digs the width on offer from Cummins and has a go at slashing the ball through point but gets a thick edge and it flies over the slip cordon for four more.
Hazlewood from over the wicket to Malan, who's got a hang of the former's length. Angled in on the stumps, he picks it for a swipe over the deep square leg for six. First maximum of the innings comes on the last ball of the batting powerplay.
Cummins replaces Starc from the other end. Comes round the wicket to make better use of the angular advantage by bringing the ball in to the two left handers and look to make the odd one nip away. Two runs come off his first over.
Hazlewood to Stokes. Pitches one back of a length and wide, Stokes punches it between backward point and cover. Warner gives it a chase and saves one run. Four come from the over.
Starc to Malan. The left-armer has kept it tight throughout his fourth over so far and offers a marginal width outside off but Malan is good measure for it. Uses his wrist to cut it past backward point for four.
Hazlewood continues from the other end. It's Ben Stokes who's joined Dawid Malan in the middle. Two left handers, perhaps their best chance to nullify the early effect of Mitchell Starc. Australia though, continue to dominate the second innings. A maiden over from Hazlewood.
Starc over the wicket against Root and it whiskers past the outside edge. Inglis collects it behind but there's no appeal from him or Starc. It's Labuschagne and Zampa who are convinced and force Cummins to go upstairs. He does and it pays off. A fine tickle in the UltraEdge as the ball passes the bat. England go two down in the powerplay.
Hazlewood continues from the other end, goes short of a length outside off and Root edges it. Just wide of Steve Smith at the second slip. It slips under his palm. Four runs.
Starc to Root. Full and outside off and the latter spoons it straight to Stoinis at cover but he's dropped him. Oh dear, that had carried perfectly to the all-rounder. Will it come back to haunt him? Three more runs come off the over.
Hazlewood from the other end. A fine start, persisting with that 6-8m length. He's been rewarded for that persistence quite a few times at this World Cup. Three runs come from his first in Ahmedabad.
Right then, Mitchell Starc from over the wicket. Strays down the leg side. A loosener. Bairstow though, seems to have got the bat onto it and Josh Inglis takes a brilliant take diving to his left. Big appeal from Starc and the umpire raises his finger. Bairstow walks off instantaneously. A horror start for England.
Joe Root is the new man in and got going well here. An angled away delivery from Starc and the England number off drives it to perfection. Next ball though, Starc has induced an lbw appeal. Marais Erasmus isn't interested. Pat Cummins goes for a review, it's going over the leg stump. Some start to this chase.
Right then, 287 is what England need to claim only their second win at this World Cup. Dew has been a massive factor in this tournament with more often than not captains opting to bowl first in day-night games. As was the case today. As of now though, there's no dew on the grass at the Narendra Modi Stadium as Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow walk in to bat.
Meanwhile, a fascinating contest on cards in Bangalore where Pakistan are pushing the limits to chase a big one. You can follow the live updates from that game here.
In Ahmedabad, Mitchell Starc has the new ball. Off we go.
Adil Rashid: "It came out good today (on his bowling). Got some rhythm early on, the fact that we had wickets with the new ball helped us, the spinners. The key to Smith was to ensure that he couldn't pick the gap and I bowled slower and wider, the feeling was good, the ball held up when we bowled slower, I tried to put in as many revs as possible. This is a good pitch, we bowled well as a unit, both at the top as well as during the middle and death overs. Think we can chase this down."
A long chat between captain Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes before the latter bowls this one.
It's a short one with the pace taken off and Zampa has skied it straight up. Buttler grasps it. The slower one does the trick once again as Starc - looking to go through extra cover - finds the fielder. That's it. Australia all out for 286.
Zampa continues to plunge boundaries. Top edges a short one from Woakes wide of fine leg for four. Next over, Willey is picked between mid wicket and long on for another boundary. This has been a handy cameo for the Aussies.
Zampa takes on Mark Wood. The pacer goes short and quick and in the attempt to fend it, Zampa edges it over the keeper for four. Next ball is length and the leggie drills it down the ground for same result.
11 runs come from the over.
Zampa is the new man in for Australia. Accompanying him at the other end, Mitchell Starc. David Willey into his ninth over.
Off a length ball, Starc pulls one down mid wicket but it's cut out by the fielder in the deep. Seven come from the over.
Back of a length from Mark Wood and Cummins tracks back in his crease to open the face of his bat and pickpocket four runs down short third.
Next up, Wood goes short and quick and this time, the Australian skipper - cramped for room - holes it straight to the fielder at mid wicket.
Liam Livingstone comes on and Marcus Stoinis fancies going against him.
Slog sweepes him over mid wicket for six, followed by a fierce shot down the ground for four. He's in no mood to resist a third but this time, he holes it straight to mid wicket where Bairstow takes a superb catch.
Willey continues from the other end. Another decent over. Just the five runs come off it. The left-armer has taken the pace off the ball really well and is getting the benefit for it against the Australian pair, who are scanning for boundaries in the death overs.
Adil Rashid for the last over of his spell. Skipper Pat Cummins is the new man in for Australia.
A superb finish from the leggie, who took the pace off the ball to take the pace off the Australian innings when Smith-Labuschagne were forging a partnership and then kept things tight with nine overs on trot in the middle overs phase. Wraps up with 10-0-38-2.
Green, looking to go down fine leg, makes a mess of his stumps as David Willey angles it in perfectly from the round the wicket angle.
Marcus Stoinis purses his lips, he knows how crucial that wicket may prove to be for the English.
Chris Woakes bangs one short to Marcus Stoinis, who meets it with a perfect pull shot through mid wicket for four runs.
Good shot to go into the final 10 overs with. If he and Green can stick around till the very end, Australia can eye 300 on the board. Who knows, maybe even more.