Pathetic England at end of tether

There comes a moment when a team have had enough chances. It is that time when all the goodwill has been used up, when all the idle protestations about talent simply waiting to be fulfilled are falling on deaf ears, when the suspicions about mediocrity are proven. For this England team it was yesterday at the Kensington Oval, writes Stephen Brenkley in the Independent.

It was the second worst day of England’s tour. Only being rolled over for 51 in the first Test in Jamaica was more humiliating than succumbing to West Indies, and to their own ghastly shot-selection, in the third one-day international, writes Scyld Berry in the Telegraph.

All the West Indian pace bowlers had to do was bang the ball in short and watch England’s batsmen spoon a succession of catches. Five of England’s top eight batsmen were out hooking, while Matt Prior steered a short ball on the offside to point. At least lemmings don’t hook before they leap.

This was an all-round duffing of such massive proportion that it is hard to see how England can recover, least of all in Sunday's match in the same conditions on the same ground. It is hard to know whether to laugh or cry. Cry with laughter might be the best option, writes Mike Selvey in the Guardian.

England supporters sat in a considerable minority, but a small section made themselves heard with boos and shouts of “rubbish” while Strauss was interviewed at the presentation ceremony, writes Richard Hobson in the Times.