“Confused and uncertain.”
Sir Alastair Cook gave a frank assessment of England’s batting as they were rolled for 209 by West Indies in the first ODI days on from being spun to a Test series defeat in Pakistan.
The former England captain was speaking to TNT Sports after an inexperienced 50-over side containing four debutants – Jordan Cox, Jamie Overton, Dan Mousley and John Turner – was dismissed in 45.1 overs on a tricky surface in Antigua.
Of the XI in North Sound, just Adil Rashid had played over 100 List A games, with Sam Curran and Liam Livingstone the only others to feature in more than 50 and Cox only featuring in four.
That is in large part to the 50-over One Day Cup in England clashing with The Hundred and mainly becoming a development competition.
‘England working it out as they go along’
Cook said the batters in the Caribbean appeared unable to adapt and said batting on difficult pitches is a problem England must solve in all formats, after a year in which they have lost both white-ball titles and suffered Test losses in India and now Pakistan.
“I thought we saw a confused and uncertain batting performance,” the former opener said after each member of England’s ODI top six made double figures but did not reach 50.
The top four – Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Cox and Jacob Bethell – were all caught trying to clear the infield.
Cook continued: “I don’t think it was easy batting, I think the pitch was probably slightly two-paced and it’s really challenging to work out what a good score is on a tougher wicket.
“(England) are used to playing on belters in T20 cricket. I go back to T20 cricket because they don’t play much 50-over cricket so they’re almost working it out as they go along.
“I think they didn’t quite trust themselves. I saw that kind of lack of trust in their game and that’s why I think we saw some of the shots they played. They weren’t the right options to take on that wicket.
‘I could see a performance like this coming’
“They’re almost forced into that because they don’t quite have the ability, yet, I don’t think, to be able to manipulate the ball in an old-fashioned ODI cricket way, because they don’t play much. There’s no experience there of working out different situations.
“Suddenly you’re thrown into international cricket under more scrutiny, and having to work out all this. That’s why I can see a performance like this coming.
“It looked uncertain, and I can understand why it’s uncertain. With experience you gain knowledge along the way. I thought we saw that lack of experience.
“I think Jacob Bethell (who scored 27) played beautifully. He was able to get off strike, was scoring almost a run-a-ball and we saw great shots from him, he nailed the pull shot.
“After playing two shots he was almost assuming that he’s going to carry on and go through on a wicket that isn’t as flat. You don’t want to be careful, but you got to be more precise, really precise.”
Test coach Brendon McCullum will take charge of the white-ball team from January onwards – Marcus Trescothick is in interim charge in the Caribbean – and Cook hopes the New Zealander can help his players become better at assessing conditions.
Root can adapt – but what about everyone else?
A number of potential starters at next year’s 50-over Champions Trophy in Pakistan are missing the West Indies series – injured captain Jos Buttler as well as Harry Brook, Ben Stokes and Joe Root – offering a chance to a number of fringe players.
“This series will be great for players (to experience) but they are desperate for someone to grab hold of if, which will be McCullum, and give them direction in how to play,” added Cook.
“With England’s batting in all three formats, on belting wickets they are absolutely brilliant and you can’t stop them scoring.
“When it becomes tougher and they need to adapt, I’m not sure at the minute that this group are good enough – take Root out of it.
“He is a class above in terms of adjusting. Everyone else needs to find a way to adapt better.”
West Indies vs England schedule (all times UK and Ireland)
- First ODI: Antigua – Thursday October 31 (6pm)
- Second ODI: Antigua – Saturday November 2 (1.30pm)
- Third ODI: Barbados – Wednesday November 6 (6pm)
- First T20: Barbados – Saturday November 9 (8pm)
- Second T20: Barbados – Sunday November 10 (8pm)
- Third T20: St Lucia – Thursday November 14 (8pm)
- Fourth T20: St Lucia – Saturday November 16 (8pm)
- Fifth T20: St Lucia – Sunday November 17 (8pm)
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