Eoin Morgan, the England captain, expressed disappointment after his side capitulated for 111 in the fifth and final ODI against West Indies in St Lucia, but cautioned against developing a “defeatist attitude”.

West Indies completed a middling chase in just 12 overs, as Chris Gayle continued to show imperious form, blasting 77 off just 27 balls. It resulted in the series being shared, with both sides having won two games each and the third ODI washed out.

“We didn’t adapt,” Morgan said after the game on Saturday, March 2. “It was a terrible batting performance, which is a disappointing way to end the series. We need to learn from the experience.

West Indies win with 37.5 overs remaining. An absolute demolition.#WIvENG | #WIvsENGpic.twitter.com/5U8O8ePGAa

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) March 2, 2019

“We have to have an objective, logical outlook on today’s game because if we get frustrated and upset and throw things around the changing room, we’d have a defeatist attitude.

“The game was more of a cup final because after the third was rained off there was a lot more pressure on us to win that and the series.”

England’s implosion with the bat came as a surprise after their scintillating performance in the fourth ODI, where they slammed 418 runs in 50 overs. Morgan, however, pointed out that the surface in Grenada – the site of that imposing total – was significantly different from the bouncy pitch in Gros Islet.

“It was a different day and a completely different surface,” he explained. “It was certainly a more challenging surface, and one we rarely come up against.

“It was evident from the first two overs. You could see it from the changing room. We did have that conversation. But we didn’t adapt.

“Trying to curb your natural ability, to try to go from high-risk to low-risk and still get a score in the morning that will be good enough in the afternoon, is difficult.”

England will play six more ODIs – one against Ireland and five against Pakistan – before facing South Africa in the opening fixture of the 2019 Cricket World Cup on May 30. Morgan will hope his side can use those games to get back on track before the marquee tournament.

"We’ll have discussions about whether he plays."

Trevor Bayliss has offered a strong indication that England are considering picking @craig_arch
for their World Cup squad.https://t.co/Blts0reIIb

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) March 2, 2019

“When we come up against conditions for the first time it has gone wrong for us but when we’ve come back to conditions where we’d made mistakes we’ve played really well,” he reflected. “It was just difficult to find a low-risk option to score today because of the bounce.”

West Indies and England will lock horns in three T20Is – one in St Lucia, two in St Kitts – on March 5, 8 and 10 respectively.