English newspapers tear strips off their cricket team after latest World Cup defeat

Fears in England are rising that the composed Australians will put the World Cup favourite in danger of extinction on home soil, and the national press have slammed their team.

LEEDS, ENGLAND - JUNE 21: Jofra Archer of England looks on in despair as he is dismissed during the Group Stage match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 between England and Sri Lanka at Headingley on June 21, 2019 in Leeds, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

England’s tabloid newspapers have gone from sledging the “cheating Aussies” to attacking their own with three former captains unloading on captain Eoin Morgan’s shell-shocked team.

Fears in England (4-2) are rising that the composed Australians (5-1) will put the World Cup favourite in danger of extinction in front of a capacity crowd of 28,500 at Lord’s on Tuesday night (AEST).

Former England captain Nassar Hussain took aim at all-rounder Moeen Ali while Mike Atherton declared every team would choose to bat first against England because it struggles to cope with the pressure of chasing.

Both ex-skippers accused England’s brilliant batting line up of brain explosions after it was bowled out for 212 when embattled Sri Lanka inflicted its lowest failed chase in four years.

Michael Vaughan tweeted: “You wouldn’t even expect this from schoolboys”.

English media back pages snapshot

English media back pages snapshot

It was England’s latest World Cup embarrassment after losses against Bangladesh (2015) and Ireland (2011).

Morgan’s men now require at least one victory, but probably two, with games against top three Australia, India and New Zealand to come to reach its first semi-final since 1992.

The Daily Mail’s back page headline of “CLUELESS!” was supported by “WOEFUL, RECKLESS AND TIMID” inside the cover. Morgan was pictured towelling off with the caption: “The heat is on”.

“They have this big problem – when they can’t hit through the line they can’t adapt,” Hussain wrote in his column in that newspaper.

Hussain said Ali, who was playing his 100th ODI against Sri Lanka, “simply gave it away” when an unnecessary slog picked out Isuru Udana in the deep.

“He is just too talented to be doing things like that and it has to stop,” Hussain said.

“He will have to have a good, hard look at what he did.”

Opener James Vince’s career is also on the line against Australia, although if Jason Roy recovers from a hamstring then Vince won’t even get that chance.

English media back pages snapshot

English media back pages snapshot

“He’s one of those players you daren’t go for a pee,” Geoffrey Boycott said, highlighting Vince’s tendency to get in and then frustratingly get out.

Vince averages between 24-29 runs in all three formats.

The Sun pointed out that explosive opener Jonny Bairstow’s second golden duck in six games put him within one of the unwanted World Cup record, shared by minnow men Gerrie Snyman (Namibia, 2003) Shem Ngoche (Kenya, 2011).

“They have shown their Achilles heel to others watching on, who will surely look to bat first, put runs on the board and ask those questions of England’s batsmen time and time again,” Atherton wrote in The Times.

Originally published as English newspapers tear strips off their cricket team after latest World Cup defeat