CHAMPS TO CHUMPS

With three games to go England are in serious danger of serving up the worst World Cup defence in history. Only two further wins and qualification for the Champions Trophy will avoid this nightmare outcome. The explanations from the England camp have been minimal with a collective shrug of the shoulders as various coaches and players have admitted "we don't know why this has happened". Dean Wilson makes sense of the mess - and offers a clear way forward.

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LACK OF FOCUS

THERE are a few reasons why England have failed so spectacularly at this World Cup, however this is the origin. The one consistent message from every level of English cricket since the 2019 World Cup final has been that the 50-over format is no longer a priority. It does not matter as much as Test matches, T20s, The Hundred, franchise cricket or having some time off. This was perhaps fair enough for a year or two following the tournament, but it continued up to the start of this event when the entire squad were rested from a 50-over series against Ireland because there was a long trip to India ahead.

If a World Cup cannot become a priority a year or out from the more E competition then a team is asking for trouble. Some of the decisions do make sense as 50-over cricket is not played in a vacuum and there are competing considerations. But the message has been clear: do not worry about the 50-over format, it is fine.

HUNGER OF RIVALS

THIS is the unquantifiable edge that runs through all of sport. That extra bit of something that teams find because they are chasing something they do not have. England coped with being frontrunners in 2019. Just.

They do not have a great track record of it as a general rule, though. Even if England were not world champions, every side raises their game to try to beat them and there is a huge incentive to knock them off their perch.