England, September 30: Nothing that England did last night could affect their qualification for the Champions Trophy semi-finals.
This was just as well because for too long nothing was their contribution to their last group match. That they eventually lost to New Zealand by only four wickets merely avoided the walloping they had looked likely to receive.
England were desperate to win to maintain the much-vaunted commodity of the modern sportsman known as momentum. After having to bat first on a lively pitch on which their batsmen failed to apply themselves and instead adopted a high-risk strategy, this was always improbable. It is to be hoped that the momentum has not disappeared to some nether world whence it may never be recovered.
–Agencies