“We know we have got to be a lot better.”
Will Jacks hit the nail on the head when asked about England’s prospects at the T20 Word Cup after a Super 8s spot was secured with a laboured victory over Italy at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
The 2010 and 2022 champions remain in the mix for another title but look far from contenders right now when you compare them to unbeaten India and South Africa, for example.
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Highlights from Kolkata as England narrowly beat Italy to qualify for the T20 World Cup Super 8s
Three scrappy wins over Associate Nations and a meek loss to the only Test-playing country they have faced in West Indies does not exactly fill you will confidence going forward.
Perhaps a change of scenery – England play each of their three Super 8s games in Sri Lanka after operating exclusively in India so far – will shake Harry Brook’s side out of their funk.
They secured a 3-0 T20 sweep over Sri Lanka on that island ahead of the World Cup, raising hopes that they could be a real threat in the big tournament to come. But that has not materialised as yet.
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England captain Harry Brook and all-rounder Will Jacks reflect on the scrappy victory over Italy at Eden Gardens
They were on the brink of defeat to a swashbuckling Nepal before an ice-cool Sam Curran defended 10 in the final over; surrendered in the chase against West Indies; and then chucked wickets away before getting over the line against Scotland.
Italy was a slog, too, with England indebted to Jacks slogging a 21-ball half-century from No 7 to pump them up to 202-7 after the batters above him in the order fluffed their lines and failed to build on good starts – not for the first time in this competition.
They were then collared with the ball after reducing Italy to 22-3, with defeat looking possible and perhaps even likely before Jacks removed Ben Manenti for a rollicking 60 off 25 balls. At times, England appeared clueless as to how to stop the onslaught.
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Watch how Jofra Archer removed Italy’s JJ Smuts and Anthony Mosca for ducks in Kolkata
Knight: What is England’s bowling plan?
Sky Sports’ Nick Knight said: “I was really disappointed with that as a performance. They have done what they needed to do but I wanted to see real authority with bat and ball.
“It was like England stopped and drifted after taking those early wickets, thinking the game was finished. They bowled short and got whacked, lost coherency, lost a plan.
“If Adil Rashid doesn’t bowl well in the middle overs, I worry that they are not incisiveness enough to regain control.”
Brook, much like during The Ashes, has fallen to some injudicious shots, scooping over his shoulder against Scotland and then nicking off chasing an innocuous wide ball versus Italy after thumping boundaries off the previous two balls.
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Brook went four, six and then out during an eventful battle with Italy spinner JJ Smuts
Jos Buttler has not hit a half-century in nine innings in international cricket this year, out caught at mid-off for three in his last two matches, and opening partner Phil Salt is fifty-less from six.
That top-order alliance, a key part of England’s machine, one that averages 46, one that has yielded close to 1,200 T20 international runs, is suddenly malfunctioning.
Knight added: “One of Salt’s great strengths is taking the attack to the bowler straightaway, which gives Buttler time to find his way. But while in a trot, could Salt give himself a bit more time?
“You don’t want to be negative – and I think they have been tentative at times – so it is a very fine line.”
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Jos Buttler’s poor T20 World Cup continued as he was caught at mid-off for three
Hussain: England need to be more switched on
Knight’s fellow pundit Nasser Hussain added: “I wouldn’t say anything to Salt – he has got four T20I hundreds – but I might remind Buttler he is England’s greatest-ever white-ball player and that if he bats 15 overs he is probably going to win games off his own bat.
“I just want England to be a bit more switched on.
“Jacob Bethell has been out sweeping two games in a row now on a pitch that has produced so many wickets to the top-edged sweep. In the last ball of the innings against Italy, Jofra Archer did not run a bye. That cost New Zealand a World Cup final in 2019.
“If I am a coach in the dugout, I am making a mental note and saying, ‘you may beat Italy, you may beat Nepal but you need to improve with what’s to come’.”
Knight added: “I think it is a godsend England are moving to Sri Lanka as I don’t think their attack suits Indian conditions.
“The spinners can come into it more now, get a bit of grip, and extend a bowling attack that relies so heavily on Rashid and Archer.
“I know they will have to return to India for the semis and finals if they get there but for now they could get some confidence.”
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The best of Jacks’ maiden T20 international fifty, an innings that rescued England against Italy
High points have been Curran’s death bowling and the lower-order hitting of Jacks, both of which staved off what would have been embarrassing results against Nepal and Italy.
Now others need to come to the fore, too.
To quote Jacks, England “have got to be a lot better”. Any further errors are unlikely to go unpunished.
Watch every game from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup live on Sky Sports Cricket, including the competition final on Sunday March 8. Get Sky Sports or stream contract-free with NOW.
