GLEE AT LAST!
Agony’s finally over... but Buttler vows on exit: NO drastic style change and NO huge clear-out
ENGLAND bowed out of the World Cup and marked the end of an era as their old-stagers mustered one last consolation victory over Pakistan.
The 2019 champions were making their farewell bows in India, their timid departure long confirmed.
But they managed to sign off with a 93-run win at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.
David Willey is the only member of this squad to have announced his retirement – after being the only one not to be awarded a central contract.
But this is an old group, past its prime in the 50-over format and ripe for renewal.
That process should start today when squads are announced for next month’s white-ball tour of the West Indies, but there was a final opportunity for this band of trailblazers to guarantee a spot in the 2025 Champions
Trophy – and they did. England captain Jos Buttler said: “It’s nice to put in a good performance.
“Wherever we go from here, today was a good day.
“It’s not going to be a drastic change of playing style, like 2015.
“We know where we need to go. That doesn’t mean a huge clear-out, it’s just pushing on from here.”
Ben Stokes took a leading role, top-scoring with 84, with Joe Root making 60 in a score of 337-9.
Willey struck with the second ball of Pakistan’s chase. And two further wickets in his final game took him to 100 in ODIS.
Pakistan were 244 all out with the finishing touch applied by Chris Woakes, who made Haris Rauf his 31st victim at World Cups to break Sir Ian Botham’s England record as Buttler’s men secured seventh place.
Willey reflected: “The tournament hasn’t gone to plan for us as a whole which is a real disappointment.
“It would have been nice to go out on a bigger high, but for me personally to perform and enjoy the last few games, get to 100 wickets, is special.
“Did the contract situation motivate me here? Yes. I think Keysy [Rob Key, England’s managing
director] said, ‘I hope you can prove me wrong’, so maybe I have done it over the last few games.
“People might have frowned on the timing of me announcing my retirement, but there are not many opportunities to walk away from cricket on your terms.”