Team Changes Make The Difference

England's Cricket World Cup campaign threatened to go out in a damp squib but the rain stopped to allow England to win their second game in the tournament and equal their poor showing at the 1996 World Cup.

At least England made the quarter-finals back in 1996. Going into this year's tournament, England had hopes of causing a surprise or two but we all expected they would scrape into the quarter finals and go out in the knockout stage just like they did in 2011.

Hopes of causing a surprise or two were realised but for all the wrong reasons. Poor team selection, timid batting and ineffective bowling tactics meant a lot of head shaking and scratching. England have been humiliated in this World Cup. James Taylor's batting made the defeat against Australia look respectable, but the defeats to New Zealand and Sri Lanka were demoralising, and Bangladesh fed on a rotting carcass.

The win against Scotland didn't set the world a light with England content on setting a target of 304 when they should have looked to smash a total closer to 400. 

All of this meant that today's encounter with Afghanistan was a dead rubber with England forced to make changes to the team due to injury. These team changes predictably resulted in a more balanced team and increased the frustration of previous team selections.

The opening bowling pair of James Anderson and Stuart Broad took a wicket a piece but it was the change bowlers who led from the front. Chris Jordan put in a Man of the Match performance of 6 overs, 2 maidens, 2 wickets for 13 runs, going at 2.05 runs an over. Ravi Bopara, playing the first time in over a month took 2 wickets for 31 runs, as well as a good catch to give James Tredwell his only wicket of the tournament. 

Afghanistan made 111-7 off 36.2 overs before the rain came. England were set 101 off 25 overs via Duckworth and Lewis method. Ian Bell opened the batting with Alex Hales and they were cantering when Hales nicked off behind to the keeper. Bell made 50 and it would have been interesting to see if he had kicked on to 100 if it was a 50 over game. Taylor was circumspect coming in at Number Three and must be allowed to have that place in the team. The game was won with almost 7 overs to spare. Afghanistan, apart from a few fielding mistakes on the boundary, played well and should be proud of their showing in this World Cup with their victory over Scotland.

England, however, are left with what could have beens - explosive batting of Hales instead of the plodding Ballance (or even Bell) and variety and guile in the bowling of Jordan, Bopara and Tredwell instead of the predictable bowling of Anderson, Broad and Finn.   

England now leave Australia early but will be back in action next month in the Caribbean for a three match Test series against the West Indies. Oh, it's a hard life for an England cricketer!