England have raised ICC World Cup expectations, now it is time to meet them - 0 views
started by Messer Cuttting on 31 May 19
started by Messer Cuttting on 31 May 19
started by Messer Cuttting on 31 May 19
Of course it rained. Of course, after weeks of dry weather, it started to rain the moment the World Cup launch party in the Mall was due to start. It didn’t feel like the perfect omen.
There is an ingrained pessimism among regular supporters of England at World Cups. They have seen their side beaten like a snare drum around the world. Even now, with England rated as favourites for the tournament, there seems to be a reluctance to believe in case it makes the inevitable crash all the more painful.
But this is a different England team. They bat beyond the horizon, they have options with the ball and the emergence of Jofra Archer has given them the bite they were previously missing. They are settled, united and confident. It says much for their progress over the last four years that nobody would be surprised if they won. In 2015, it would have been a miracle of biblical proportions.
Yet whatever England have achieved in the last few years – the world record scores, the transformation from also-rans to pace-setters – it is global events that define teams’ reputations. And success in global events that captures the imagination of new audiences. And, for now at least, no global cricketing event is bigger than the World Cup.
“As Morgan pointed out, it is surely better to carry the pressure of expectation rather than the tag of no-hopers. They’ve been there, done that”
The pressure of expectation could also prove a factor. England may well have choked a little in the Champions Trophy final of 2013 and the semi-final of 2017 – to be fair, they also came up against Pakistan on a good day – and it could be that the burden of carrying the hopes of a nation (and a national governing body) starts to weigh heavily. Each of the players knows this could be the defining moment in their careers; stage-fright has to be a possibility. Especially if this tough first game, against the No. 3 ranked ODI side, goes against them.
But we must not make negatives out of positives. As Morgan pointed out, England are favourites “for a reason”. They are unbeaten in bilateral ODI series (so ignoring the one-off defeat against Scotland) since January 2017 and have not lost one in England since 2015. They have balance, depth and confidence. Interpreting their status as favourites – or the grounds full of spectators willing them on – as anything other than positive would be illogical. And, as Morgan also pointed out, it is surely better to carry the pressure of expectation rather than the tag of no-hopers. They’ve been there, they’ve done that: it didn’t help them play good cricket.
The wider context also offers some concern. It is now generally – if grudgingly – accepted that the absence of cricket from free-to-air television in England has endured too long to be healthy. Yes, the revenue brought in has been helpful, but even billionaires die without oxygen. The game has diminished in relevance across much of the land with recreational clubs reporting difficulty raising teams and most state schools no longer playing the sport. Unless they have a family member interested, it is entirely possible that children in the UK will have almost no knowledge of the game let alone any interest in who wins the World Cup.