We were not good enough when it mattered (6 June 1999)

6 June 1999

We were not good enough when it mattered

The Electronic Telegraph

Arriving back at Edgbaston on Thursday for Middlesex's 'eagerly awaited' clash with Warwickshire did not, unsurprisingly, fill me with glee. With the memories of last Sunday's game still fresh in my mind there could have been better places to convalesce.

There were many distressing sights in the England dressing room in the aftermath of our defeat against India. Initially there was a deathly hush with little, if any, communication between us. Most players looked vacant, almost as though they were in shock.

I eventually got round to having a bath, a beer, and a slow change while we let the captain deal with the media and the crowd disperse. I doubted whether the media's verdict would offer much comfort as we walked the gauntlet between the back of the pavilion and the coach.

To me, though, folding and putting away my England No 7 shirts and knowing I would never wear this particular kit again was the lowest point. Indeed, I sat there wondering whether I would ever wear a shirt, white or blue, emblazoned with three lions and a coronet again in a competitive match. Even though no one said it, it was easy to see these thoughts were going through other players' minds and I imagine some announcements will be made in the near future.

The coverage that inevitably follows an exit like this is bound to be harsh and I suppose to a certain extent justifiable, but some of the things that are said, well, eventually just make you laugh. Much of it is obviously written by people who have never been out there in the middle, in the thick of it and to be honest they are speculating.

There will be no shortage of reasons or excuses for our failure to qualify for the Wolrd Cup Super Sixes and already many have been aired. But when it came down to it, it was down to us not being good enough when it really mattered. Of the 10 sessions of cricket we played in this World Cup we performed well in eight of them, but in the two that counted we were found wanting and so went out.

It has already been suggested that the contractual problems we had before the tournament affected us throughout. I strongly refute that. The period when these negotiations took place was stressful and unhappy for me but, once they were sorted out, they were indeed sorted out.

So where do we go from here? We need to find a new coach and there is speculation over the captaincy. As far as one-day cricket goes, we already need to start planning for the next World Cup in four years' time. There is no point in selecting players who will be too old by then. The selectors need to identify a group of young players and expose them to as much one-day international cricket as they can in the next 3.5 years. Maybe then, in South Africa, we can avoid a repeat of what has happened here.

For us it is all over, but I still feel this tournament will be a great success. With an enormous wealth of talent still on show and many mouthwatering contests to look forward to, interest should remain high.

For me it has been a wonderful if somewhat disappointing adventure. I have no regrets. I worked hard during the tournament, gave myself the best chance I could of performing and actually felt I bowled pretty well when I got the chance, but it was not to be.

There will, no doubt, be cries for a clear-out and an introduction of young players for the Test series against New Zealand. The Kiwis should not be underestimated, though. They have some good cricketers.

The first Test is at Edgbaston. It would be nice to come back once more this year.

Source :: The Electronic Telegraph