Poms and ODIs.. Nah, not happening..

There are thrashings, there are wallopings and then there's what happened to England today.

-Cricinfo

The Proteas hit 188-3 at 8.06 runs an over to beat Scotland last month — less than the 8.12 they smashed against England.

-The SUN

England's lack of form and adventure was bound to catch up with them at some stage. Granted, most of the pitches in the Caribbean have not been belters (this one had bounce but was a little two-paced), but there has been no Plan B to counter the better sides except to flounder about hoping opponents will somehow implode. For that, the players, the coach, and a county system where one-day cricket is treated with casual disdain, must shoulder the blame.

-The Telegraph

England were bundled out of the World Cup yesterday with all the dignity of a drunk escorted from a temperance night club.

-The Guardian Unlimited

Such was the plight of English cricket after their exit from the World Cup. I haven't written even about the Indians not making to the Super 8s, winning and losing is a part and parcel of the game. If the Indian Team can be criticized for not showing enough heart for the game, how 'bout the Poms? Was it the lack of appetite for One Day Cricket or pure nonchalance about the shorter version of the game, since whatever said and done, for a team to perform the way they did yesterday against the Proteas is simply unforgivable. No I am not really talking about the collapse they suffered mid-way, but the way they started off with the game. Yeah, the turf was a bit bouncy, but it was brilliant for batting and what a mess did the English batsmen found themselves in within the first 10 overs. This was more of a game lost by England rather than won by the South Africans - a perfect example of serving the win on a platter.
It was a sad display and in certain ways a disregard for this game and its ultimate glory. Spare Collingwood, Pietersen and to an extent Strauss, and then you are left with a bunch of players who 'seem' to be least bothered about whats happening in the 100 overs in the middle. (Well, Monty Panesar looks to be an exception to this bunch though, but I'll take a conservative stance on this one)
All in all, we could have afforded a Super 7s rather than an octa version of the same. Atleast a few inconsequential matches could have been avoided.