England have learned 'very expensive lesson' - Moores

	Peter Moores: "Is it for England? Is it for money? You've got to be very clear as a team and as an individual, and I think we weren't as clear as we could have been." © Getty Images

As England lick their wounds and cut back on their Christmas spending after being humiliated in Saturday's Stanford 20/20 for 20, coach Peter Moores said that his players had "learned a very expensive lesson".

"The players were trying to get in their heads what the game was all about," he said after the match. "I think that until the game had actually been played, the guys didn't get into their heads exactly what the tournament has been about. I don't know if we were absolutely as clear as we could have been".

The players, Moores said, were in doubt over the purpose of the match. "Is it for England? Is it for money? In international top-flight sport you can't afford to have any grey areas. You've got to be very clear as a team and as an individual, and I think we weren't as clear as we could have been.

"Was it okay to say the match was about money or not about money? Every time you play for England it is about playing for England, but those questions were in people's minds during the week. They had to square it off in their heads. All credit to the lads for that, what they wanted to do was keep their integrity. They didn't want to be portrayed as not playing for their country but for the cash."

He was also concerned about how the result might affect England's assignments during winter. "We were playing against a very hungry, disciplined side. And we got nailed. That's what hurts, we got nailed in an international match. What we didn't want to compromise at all was our preparation for the winter. It's been a bit of both, because we're going to India for a massive series and we've been concentrating on getting right for that as well."

However, Moores was optimistic about the chances next time around at the Stanford Super Series. " I think we will be stronger and wiser for it. Yeah, honestly I think we will. I think we will know what this is about."

But he acknowledged there would be a rethink about whether it would be an England team that took the field for the next Stanford outing or, as mooted, and ECB XI. "It's going to be reviewed," he said. "If a change helps people get their heads around why we're here, fine."

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