England were dumped out of the 2021 ICC World T20 in the semi-final stage after allowing another position of strength to slip away in the competition. In 2016, England appeared to be on the verge of a second World T20 crown as the West Indies required 20 off the final to defeat Eoin Morgan’s men. However, Carlos Brathwaite blasted Ben Stokes for four sixes in a row to secure the title for the West Indies.
The Three Lions remained a strong outfit and got over the line in the 2019 World Cup. Not without drama, Stokes earned redemption with a stellar performance with the bat before they defeated New Zealand by boundaries scored after a Super Over.
The Black Caps hit back in at the 2021 World T20 courtesy of a special knock of their own from James Neesham, providing a momentum boost with a flurry of boundaries to spark New Zealand into life. Chris Jordan and the England seamers struggled to contain Neesham before Daryl Mitchell powered his team over the line with an unbeaten 74.
Kane Williamson’s team were in turn beaten by Australia in the final, which will allow the Baggy Greens to enter the 2022 competition as holders on home soil, although India are the leading contenders for the crown at 3/1 in the cricket betting at Betfair. Monitoring the cricket tips before the event would be a advisable considering that Australia emerged from nowhere to win the 2021 tournament and there could be another side under the radar prepared to pounce.
England on the other hand must go back to the drawing board in their search of success. Their lack of depth in their bowling attack hampered their ability at the death. There were warning signs during the group stage when Chris Woakes was exposed in the closing overs.
Woakes is an outstanding bowler at the top of the innings, but he struggled to find yorkers at key moments. Mark Wood falls under the same category. The onus was on Jordan to be the man without the injured Tymal Mills, but he lost his composure amid the onslaught of Neesham. It was not helped by conditions, and the fact that every team that fielded second in the tournament struggled with the due was evident.
Almost 65% of the matches in the tournament were won by the team batting second, allowing them to capitalise on the tough fielding conditions. There were mitigating circumstances to Jordan’s issues, although England’s problem with composure has cost them in two-straight World T20s. Their players do play in high-level competitions around the world, and it has allowed them to unearth superstars such as Liam Livingstone, who was a key component with bat and ball in the tournament.
The pressure of the occasion has seemed to get to the Three Lions more than their opponents. Stokes in 2016 and Jordan in 2021 were unable to cope with their nerves under the spotlight. Conceding boundaries will always happen in T20 matches, but the fact that the two bowlers were struck for multiple maximums along with wides was a death knell to their hopes. Morgan must address this key issue, although there are not many death bowlers knocking on the door, which forced England to return to Mills, whose career looked to be all but over due to injury.
Australia will provide better conditions and an equal set of circumstances for both sides not dependent on the toss. However, it might not be enough for England unless their superior batsmen can surmount totals that the rest of the world cannot contend with. The next 12 months are crucial for unearthing and developing talent in their bowling ranks.
