New Zealand vs England: Stephan Shemilt on why England need to be wary of carelessness creeping in
No matter how you cut it, it’s a pattern.
No doubt it has been suggested, perhaps understandably, that England will play a 17th Test in what has been an exhausting year. If it feels like an accusation of laziness, almost every pro player would be offended by the implication that he’s not giving it his all every time he steps on the court.
But there’s no denying that New Zealand benefited more than England did in Hamilton. The visitors’ job is done to win the series and the Blackcaps are desperate to avoid a third 0-3 defeat at home. Tim Southee’s final test has extra motivation.
At the highest level, that extra 1% can make a huge difference. Will England skip training two days after the game if the series remains undecided? Probably not.
None of this is meant to provide England with an excuse. For example, if we criticize them for going nowhere in the World Test Championship, then they don’t get a pass for losing their magic at the end of the series, dead or not.
As discussed at the beginning of this tripEngland’s spirit may be their greatest strength, but also their greatest weakness. A relaxed environment brings out the best in players, and not sweating the small stuff gives them the freedom to find their peak performance. But ignoring the little things can lead to carelessness—there’s that word again.
For better or worse, this is a pervasive attitude in English cricket. McCallum is about to take over the white-ball team. The culture he and Stokes created is being replicated with the Lions and across the age groups.
The root of England’s two World Cup defeats in just over a year is a lack of attention to detail. The women’s failures at the T20 World Cup included not practicing fielding at the Dubai Stadium with its distinctive floodlights, and spending their off days at a party on a boat.
Stokes’ Test team has the chance to build a legacy in the coming year with landmark wins against India and Australia. Neither will happen without due care and attention.
If England want to ban talk of ruthlessness, fine, but they should never be careless.
