Bouncebackability?

On the evidence of the opening week predicting the result of the long awaited clash between India and England on Sunday should be a no-brainer. India were impressive in their defeat of Bangladesh (although Bangladesh’s struggles against Ireland suggest that they are weaker than I, for one, thought), while England were deeply unimpressive, especially with the ball, in their narrow win over Holland. India by a comfortable margin seems to be the only sensible call.

It isn’t a foregone conclusion, though. One of the features of England’s cricket has been their ability to put past performances behind them and move on to the next challenge, and there can be no doubting their basic ability. They lost to the West Indies and struggled for a while against Ireland in the group stages of the World Twenty20 and yet came away with the trophy and the debacles at Cardiff, Headingley, the Oval and Perth were immediately followed by comprehensive wins. Granted, none of these examples were in fifty over cricket, but it gives an indication of the mental strength of the group. It may be that the performance against the Dutch might be what they needed to shake themselves from their torpor (although, equally, it may have been a sign of things to come, but let’s keep this optimistic).

Do I expect England to win on Sunday? No I don’t, but I don’t expect it to be an Indian procession either. England will be desperate to do well and if they can put India under pressure then who knows what might happen. It is, as Saint and Greavsie would doubtless point out, a funny old game.