That is my ninth 50-over World Cup and in that point I’ve coated England’s highs and plenty of lows.
There was 1999 when England have been out earlier than the event track was launched and the shock run to the ultimate in 1992 with an ageing crew.
The early exit in 2015 was horrendous – defeat by the hands of Bangladesh in Adelaide was devastating.
That was hardly stunning given what had come earlier than. Alastair Cook dinner had simply been sacked as captain and England have been nonetheless taking part in an outdated type of one-day cricket.
This time, nonetheless, expectation was excessive with England double world champions.
Solely in 2019, with the aspect primary on the earth below Eoin Morgan and taking part in in house situations, has there been larger expectation in my time going right into a World Cup.
I’ll not have anticipated them to go the entire means and win it however I believed they might positively be semi-finalists.
That solely provides to the crushing disappointment in what we now have seen.
Jos Buttler’s aspect haven’t regarded on the races since they first turned up in India. They have been thrashed by 9 wickets within the event opener by New Zealand and haven’t recovered.
By Bengaluru on Thursday, they regarded like a crew whose heads had gone.
There was Joe Root’s run-out and Jonny Bairstow’s poor shot – caught taking part in a heave to mid-on after two wickets had simply fallen.
That was the time for Bairstow to dig in with Ben Stokes, to play sensibly, reassess, bat some overs and get a rating on the board.
As an alternative, his shot was very disappointing and shortly after, Moeen Ali looped a minimize straight to backward level.
He might hardly have provided up a softer dismissal, besides maybe his one at Headingley within the shock defeat by Sri Lanka within the final World Cup in 2019.
However, wanting again and evaluating to that 2019 crew, maybe we shouldn’t be stunned on the place England discover themselves in with their World Cup successfully over with 4 video games nonetheless to play.
They gained final time due to the preparation over 4 years the place they made a giant funding within the variety of video games they performed.
You knew who would bowl when and the way. It was like completely tuned engine.
This has been extra like Laurel and Hardy’s automotive.
I spoke to Ben Stokes in Cardiff at the beginning of England’s World Cup build-up, earlier than he made his first look after popping out of retirement on this format.
I requested how troublesome it could be for the crew to retune themselves to taking part in 50-over cricket after their weight-reduction plan of T20s.
He responded by saying “it isn’t going to take lengthy to get again into the swing of issues”. I requested Buttler the identical query earlier than the opening sport in India and he additionally swatted it away.
Their solutions urged they did not actually contemplate it an element, however clearly it has been.
The collection in opposition to New Zealand, which acted as England’s warm-up in September, felt on the time prefer it was missing in depth.
There’s not the sting or stress in these bilateral collection.
Which means England acquired to the largest stage with out realizing which gamers can rise up and maintain it collectively when it issues over 50 overs.
When you prioritise and put money into the format you have got probability of successful.
If you don’t, if you happen to go in with this ‘see how we go angle’ with a crew that has hardly performed collectively, you’ll reap what you sow.
When you do this you’ll reap what you sow.
From the second Sri Lanka’s bowlers emerged for his or her warm-up they regarded completely on it.
Their seamers have been working in and bowling laborious on the follow pitches in entrance of our Check Match Particular field.
England, in the meantime, marked their runs and went by means of some bowling but it surely didn’t look the identical.
This isn’t hindsight – I believed it on the time. Sri Lanka regarded way more prepared for a vital World Cup match.
How England allowed that to occur is not possible to say with out being within the dressing room.
We spoke to Paul Farbrace, England’s assistant coach within the build-up to 2019, earlier than the sport and he expressed how necessary it’s for the coach to get into the thoughts of struggling gamers earlier than these sport to remind them what they’ve finished nicely earlier than.
It’s so laborious to regain confidence in these tournaments.
The gamers are on the highway the entire time, with a distinct mattress each few nights. That’s not simple.
In case you are not in place these issues rapidly change into very unfavorable and a crew of winners can change into a crew with moans and groans.
I do not know if England are in that place but it surely would not shock me if it comes over the following few weeks as a result of the identical gamers are going to have to come back again and go once more with nothing to play for when it comes to the event.
That stated, there will likely be lots on the road in the case of their careers.
England handed out their multi-year central contracts on Tuesday however there could be a distinct view on a few of these already.
Consideration ought to flip to the long run however of these on this squad, solely Harry Brook and Gus Atkinson look ensures to be round in 4 years’ time, health allowing.
However quite than throwing everybody out now England should fastidiously plot their path ahead.
There’s a T20 World Cup in June, which means it could be too hasty to finish careers now.
Buttler ought to stay as white-ball captain, with others on this squad like Bairstow and Adil Rashid sticking round to attempt to defend their T20 crown in higher style than this title defence.
They need to exit with a distinct angle – present groups they will should play nicely to beat the defending champions – however after that the altering of the guard could come.
And within the subsequent few years, we are going to see the true minimize of coach Matthew Mott’s jib.
Let’s examine what he’s product of with this clean sheet of paper. England have lots of planning on doing for the long run.
Jonathan Agnew was speaking to BBC Sport’s Matt Henry.
