ENGLAND WORLD CUP RATINGS BY LAWRENCE BOOTH
BEN STOKES 7
His strong finish made you wonder how England might have fared had he not been injured for the first three games. Dug them out of a hole against the Dutch but it was all too late. England must now pray his knee surgery is a success.
REECE TOPLEY 7
His opening spell against Bangladesh was England’s best of the tournament, his fractured finger against South Africa among their biggest disappointments. He can be England’s white-ball attack leader — as long as he stays on the park.
GUS ATKINSON 6
Was unlucky to play only three times in all after he kept his head during the mauling by South Africa in Mumbai, where he bowled the rampant Heinrich Klaasen. Sent down some rapid spells, if not quite the same speed as Wood.
HARRY BROOK 6
Dropped two games after making a high-class 66 against Afghanistan, he wasn’t helped by being messed around by the selectors. His 30 off 17 balls against Pakistan was a glimpse of the future.
JOE ROOT 5.5 Began with two lively half-centuries, then form fell off a cliff. His next six innings yielded a best of 28. Sluggish 60 against Pakistan did not disguise a disappointing tournament. His white-ball career should be a thing of the past.
CHRIS WOAKES 5.5
His early struggles mirrored England’s: he went for 10 in his first over against New Zealand, 12 against Bangladesh, and started the Afghanistan game with five wides. His rhythm improved, and he shared a vital stand with Stokes against the Netherlands. But his best stuff came too late.
JONNY BAIRSTOW 5
Never really got going, even if his most fluent innings — 59 off 61 balls against Pakistan — came at the end. Seemed to miss his old opening partner, Jason Roy. Bairstow, who is England’s 13th all-time highest one-day run scorer, is another whose ODI career is now in the balance.
MARK WOOD 5
He was fast but often searched too hard for the magic ball. New Zealand and South Africa hit him for 11 an over. Six expensive wickets were not what England were hoping for.
MOEEN ALI 3
This was a tournament too far for one of England’s most popular players. He was mainly ineffective with the bat and did not take a wicket with his off-breaks until the last two games against the Netherlands and Pakistan.
SAM CURRAN 3
Was deemed unselectable after only three games, which brought him 35 runs and two expensive wickets — a leg-side strangle against New Zealand and a Bangladesh tail-ender. His 50-over career has gone backwards, despite selection for the Caribbean.
JOS BUTTLER (captain) 3
Began with a run-a-ball 43 against New Zealand then vanished without trace, never passing 27. Made tactical and strategic errors throughout and presided over one of the worst World Cup defences in any sport.
LIAM LIVINGSTONE 2
A big let-down. He passed 10 only twice in six innings, with a best of 27. Bowled well against Afghanistan but otherwise unproductive. The suspicion is he’s better suited to T20.