Stuart Broad
England’s pitiful effort to reclaim the ICC World T20 crown lasted just four games in Bangladesh as captain Stuart Broad oversaw just the latest page in a disappointing period of the nation’s cricketing history.
Already deflated from an abysmal Ashes Test and one-day tour this winter, Broad led his under-strength and under-prepared side to the subcontinent, where they were subsequently humbled in the Super 10s group stage.
One run and three defeats, including a 45-run loss to the Netherlands, put an end of a dismal English winter and there are now serious considerations to be made going forward. Indeed, punters who bet at http://www.bet365.com/news/en/betting already have England down as weak favorites for the summer Tests with Sri Lanka and India.
The main frustration for both Test and short-form sides is a lack of direction and, it seems, motivation. This England set-up peaked in 2010/11 when they claimed a glorious Ashes Tour victory yet less than a year later suffered the infamous 2-0 series defeat to South Africa while embroiled in the Andrew Strauss/Kevin Pietersen scandal.
Strauss was chucked and Pietersen placed on a sort of probation, although the batsman would return for England’s empathic series win in India over the forthcoming New Year.
Looking back at recent times, it could be said the India tour win actually hampered England’s Ashes fortunes over the proceeding 12 months. For maybe these players had nothing else to play for – as once you win in Australia and India you’ve pretty much achieved your Test ambition.
Finding the spirit to defend your crown, especially when up against a wounded Australia, was always going to be tough and the lack of direction, motivation and application Down Under was clear to see.
Sadly, these problems have followed Broad into the T20 team that fared so disappointingly in Bangladesh. The writing was on the wall when England required a blistering 116from Alex Hales to see off Sri Lanka, after England had dropped four catches to let slip 189 runs.
There was no saviour in their third game against South Africa and the Netherlands humiliation put to bed what has been a disastrous six-month period for the England camp.
Now serious consideration must be made regarding the future of captains Alastair Cook and Broad – who both perform better when not worrying about the rest of the team – and the arrangement of a new head coach.
Talk is rife that Ashley Giles, currently the limited-overs coach, wants to oversee all three formats of the game. The team’s performance in Bangladesh won’t have done his chances much good, however, and Giles must prove he has a plan in place, as Andy Flower had before him, when moving forward with this team.
England now have six weeks to prepare for Sri Lanka’s one-day and Test series this summer, before India come to town for a five-Test showdown that could prove the making of a new England era.
Beating India is the minimum benchmark Cook must meet if he is to retain his captaincy, although on recent performances it may take more than a miracle to turn this England side around.
