Promising start fails to shield England from reality of inconsistency

After a promising start it seems a little unjust to see Alec Stewart and his team thrown from the World Cup tournament like an angry bouncer may throw a drunken youth from a nightclub. Pressure is a big man, bigger than any single man playing the game, and it seems the added pressure of Zimbabwe's victory, the tough and gifted opposition and immense home town expectation has taken its toll on the inconsistent England outfit.

Obviously everyone in England will have an opinion on why the England cricket team have fallen short again but in my view the main problem is very, very deeply set into English cricket psyche.

On the surface the England selectors may rue their decision not to have selected more specialist players in their squad. In my opinion the best players in the country should be selected regardless of whether the game is a Test match or a one-day international. For example Mark Ramprakash is in my eyes the most technically correct and, arguably, talented batsmen in the country. He is also a fighter who plays with an intensity and passion reserved for an SAS soldier. Because he bats like his life depends upon it in a Test match, the selectors obviously believe he isn't aggressive enough to play the shorter version of the game.

Knowing the experience of the England selectors this theory surprises me because it seems very obvious that given the opportunity such a talent would adapt his game to the one-day game very easily. With his technique and range of strokes he would fit in perfectly to the England middle order.

While it would be to easy to criticise the selectors, the management or the rules of the competition, the player's are the only one's who can truly accept responsibility for not progressing through to the next round. I believe that as a player the only person to blame for failure is yourself and if the England team can put all excuses aside they will look back with immense disappointment at an important opportunity missed.

Not enough of the selected player's performed with the distinction and consistency required to winning a World Cup. While some of the team members could possibly hold their heads high, not enough of their mates can be satisfied with their accomplishments. Winning consistently is about teamwork with everyone chipping in when it counts and unfortunately for the players, administrators and supporters, there obviously wasn't enough player's putting their hand's up when it truly counted.

While it is bon voyage to England, the Australians are gaining momentum with every game. Like a rumour, the Aussies are getting stronger and attaining impetus with every tick of the clock. All the talk back shows and opinions I have heard since Steve Waugh and Michael Bevan triumphantly left Old Trafford tonight have pointed criticism at the method of their victory against the West Indies. Having secured the momentum of the game 'Tugga' decided as a strategic move to spend more time at the crease than may have been required in a normal circumstance. "It is just not cricket" was the cry from the outside, as people suggested the approach was rejecting the 'carnival of cricket' theme used to promote this World Cup.

My only view is that like a hungry lioness searching for its prey, the Australians are going to do everything possible to secure their prey, which happens to be the World Cup in twenty days time. Like the lioness who let's nothing get in her way when she is searching to fill the empty stomach's of her pride, my countrymen will be equally determined to fulfil their appetite's no matter what it takes. If it means times of gamesmanship that is within the rules, then so be it as they are as resolute as any of their competitors to return home with one-day cricket's Holy Grail.

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