England’s cricketers have been nothing less than shameful and woeful in their pursuit of retaining their own World Cup 50 over competition they won back in England in exciting circumstances back in 2019 writes Merv Colenutt

Since those exciting days back at Lords, cricket has been taken over by the people with money, with little or no emphasis being put on England gaining more glory other than the brilliant Ashes series spread over six weeks back in the Summer against Australia which was followed and ruled by the Hundred competition throughout the month of August.

Since that World Cup victory over New Zealand in 2019, England’s best cricketers now focus themselves more on the Hundred and let’s be honest England’s World Cup defence was always going to die a death, how many games of cricket did those so called top players performed on the stage of a 50 over competition during the past Summer.

Building a test team over five days and a team to win a world cup in a 50 over competition takes years to build and to win both was exceptional, but the money makers who know very little obviously about the game and have only an interest in putting money into their own pockets or with the ECB have left the county game and it’s paying supporters in tatters.

Building a Test team and an England team to play and win 50 overs competitions takes years, but the men at the top have left England totally unprepared for such a massive competition they were hoping to defend.

When England won the competition in 2019 the planning appeared beyond belief, yet the build up before travelling to India in the present competition was to play Ireland in three games where the entire world cup squad were rested, dear oh dear, money certainly is the root of all evil when it comes to our leading summer sport.

Gerry Wilson was the cricket coach at Millfield School for over 40 years and brought so many county players through the private school in Street and he was probably more realistic in his assessment, he said: “If any of us were being realistic, did any of us really expect England to retain the trophy in India.

“Probably not, just as India would have probably struggled over here in England during the summer, but you would expect some of the England players to perform, or even show some compassion in trying to win a game of cricket, but it was never there and using one of your favourite words, it was shambolic and to go down without a fight was beyond belief."

Gerry added: “The batting was also shocking to watch, how many of our batsman were caught in the crease and getting bowled, it’s sadly something that has crept into our game and to no benefit to the game of cricket as a whole."

Next week-more from Somerset members and what does the future hold away from the money makers that have crept into our national summer game.