NWS: Inept England Crumble Again
Wednesday, June 30 2004
It hasn't been easy following England's One Day side over the last few months. Following the sorry tale of the World Cup, a new look side starred against South Africa and then despatched Bangladesh with little problem. However, since Andrew Flintoff clubbed England to a 3-0 whitewash, there has been little cheer.
Rain set in to dominate England's ODI programme from then on, washing out two matches in Colombo but only after Sri Lanka had skittled the tourists for 88, and the series in the West Indies exposed as many flaws as it did bright points.
Come the NatWest Series 2004, come rain, come green seamers, come one pathetic, undisciplined and passionless capitulation against a raw West Indian side. Surely match four against New Zealand at Chester-le-Street couldn't go any worse?
Wrong - it could, and by a distance. England started brightly, with Marcus Trescothick and Michael Vaughan adding 24 at five an over for the first wicket before Trescothick inexplicably wandered down the track in an attempt to heave Oram somewhere with the net result being re-arranged stumps. It proved to be a catalyst for a collapse that lacked everything that the Test side possesses.
Vaughan was next to depart, bowled driving at a James Franklin in-ducker before Geraint Jones chopped Jacob Oram onto the stumps trying to cut. Paul Collingwood did little better as Franklin kept pace with Oram in the wicket stakes, feathering an edge through to debutant 'keeper Gareth Hopkins - replacing Brendon McCullum, home for the birth of his first child.
44-4 became 65-7 in eight overs as Andrew Strauss launched an ill-advised heave off Franklin to Oram at deep fine leg before Ian Blackwell and Anthony McGrath both struck powerful boundaries, akin to Tuesday's game. Again akin to Tuesday, both got out early too. Blackwell was pinned infront by Franklin - taking four wickets in an ODI for the first time - before Ashley Giles, bizarrely in for Rikki Clarke, followed next ball, snicking to Hopkins.
Implosion threatened, and when Darren Gough's airy drive off Chris Cairns only found Stephen Fleming at slip and McGrath's cut off the returning Oram edged straight through to the keeper, 78-9 threatened to break England's record low of 86 all out against Australia in this tournament three years ago.
Enter the home hero, Steve Harmison, and James Anderson, and the first pride and fight shown by the team. Harmison clipped an imperious leg glance for four as the last wicket pairing added 23 to push England past the 100 mark before Anderson was bowled for 11 attempting to slog-sweep Daniel Vettori. Harmison ended unbeaten on 13*, just one less than Trescothick, and more than the other two men to make double figures, Vaughan and McGrath.
Faced with 102 to make, New Zealand were never troubled despite Harmison's best efforts. Averaging 92mph over his seven-over spell and peaking at 96, he had Fleming caught at third man by Gough, Nathan Astle trapped in front LBW whilst leaving, and Hamish Marshall accounted for by a brute of a delivery than the batsman could only fend to leg gully - three wickets in seven balls, but the damage was done.
Gough and, in particular Anderson, were shadows of Big Steve, and it was no challenge to the Black Caps to ease home for no further loss inside 18 overs and collect the bonus point leaving England with a horribly uphill struggle to avoid being kicked out of their own party. Moving on to Headingley on Thursday, there is only one option - victory.
For that to happen, the batting lineup must be strengthened. Robert Key must play, as at present the loss of a few early wickets leads to nothing but a mish-mash of all-rounders in name only. Alex Gidman and Ian Bell are wasted on the county circuit whilst these collapses continue - something needs doing, and doing fast, because just one man did his job to the best of his ability today.
Meanwhile, the Kiwis' tour has been revitalised since James Franklin joined the party. Coincidental, maybe, but his five-wicket haul played a key part in their triumph today. With five matches left in he series, their ODI form seems set to continue.
England 101
ME Trescothick 14, SJ Harmison 13*
JEC Franklin 5-42, JDP Oram 3-23
New Zealand 103-3
SP Fleming 31, SB Styris 23*
SJ Harmison 3-38
New Zealand (6pts) beat England (0pts) by 7 wickets
CricketWeb Man of the Match: James Franklin (New Zealand) - 5-42
Posted by Neil
Email Us
Forum
Mail Article
Print Article