Michael Vaughan, the former England captain, has laid out his main concern about England at the World Cup 2019.
They are the No.1-ranked ODI side in the world and one of the favourites to lift the trophy at home later this year, but Vaughan is worried about the team’s tendency to succumb to “moments of madness” with the bat.
England are now using the slower ball more than any other time this decade. @benjonescricket of @CricViz on England's new slower ball strategy that might take them to even greater heights.https://t.co/CqKv1zX9GF
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) February 25, 2019
Eoin Morgan and his team chased down 360 against West Indies in the first ODI in the ongoing series in the Caribbean, but were then bundled out for 263 in a 289-run chase in the second game. They were in a comfortable position at 228-4, but lost six wickets within eight overs to concede the series lead.
“England do get bored if they’re not whacking it,” he said. “If they have not struck a boundary in 10 balls they think, ‘I have got to hit one.’ It is the only thing I look at the team and worry about – if they are under big pressure in a one-off game and the ball is doing a bit and they go gung-ho.
“If they continue to play in that fashion they will have games where they completely dominate. But they will also have that one game, where I still have a bit of doubt that they might not be smart enough to see themselves through a 20-over period when a bit of old-school cricket might be required.”
The World Cup will begin on May 30, with England taking on South Africa at the Oval.
