Choking, bottling and losing it - England's worst of all-time?

[Pavilionaire]

Firstly, I fancy that Ben Stokes will bounce back, but was his meltdown yesterday the worst in English international sporting history? I'm still feeling his pain almost 24 hours later.

I know Beckham's red card vs Argentina was bad, but we got through extra time and only went out by messing up our penalties.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Firstly, I fancy that Ben Stokes will bounce back, but was his meltdown yesterday the worst in English international sporting history? I'm still feeling his pain almost 24 hours later.

I know Beckham's red card vs Argentina was bad, but we got through extra time and only went out by messing up our penalties.

Really!? What about v France Euro's 2004. 1-0 up, Becks misses a pen on 73mins, we then concede 2 goals in injury time...

 

[Pavilionaire]

Really!? What about v France Euro's 2004. 1-0 up, Becks misses a pen on 73mins, we then concede 2 goals in injury time...

That was a collective effort via Beckham and, from memory, Gerrard and James. I'm talking about a one person clusterf**k whilst representing England / UK.

 

[Triggaaar]

At least Stokes took his catches and gave us the chance in the first place.

 

[Bold Seagull]

At least Stokes took his catches and gave us the chance in the first place.

Yep, his first ball was leggy and full, but still a tough shot to clear the rope, 2nd one was a bit too straight but the length was okay, next 2 I think he could have put them anywhere and Braithwaite was going to knock them out of the ground. Not sure it was a meltdown really...

 

[Bold Seagull]

I seem to remember against Sri Lanka Jordan bowled two or 3 rank full tosses (worse than Stokes deliveries) and ended up with 2 wickets and a dot in the 19th, and it was sealed with Stokes yorkers in the 20th. Not sure Stokes balls were any worse than that, but such is the fine margins in T20.

 

[Lifelong Supporter]

I really saw it as being to the credit of the batsman. We are now seeing what I would call 'silly cricket' with scores and scoring rates far in excess of what has gone before. It is certainly not a game to be a bowler in.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Not a meltdown really - his first ball was not good but the rest were ok. He could have tried a bouncer, or a slower ball or a wide one outside the off stump or any other variation and Brathwaite would have smacked them all. He would have stood more chance bowling to Samuels.

 

[El Presidente]

Superb shots from Braithwaite surely?

Why not give him some credit, not just for four sixes but for four ****ING huge sixes.

Ben Chokes didn't bowl that badly, Braithwaite had no alternative but to throw the bat.

 

[KZNSeagull]

The penalties in 1990 were worse than this.

 

[fat old seagull]

I think perhaps Ben should feel lucky we weren't leading by 35 going into the last over!

Losing then might have been something he'd never have recovered from.

 

[BensGrandad]

Could he have bowled what in the old days were called beamers straight at the batsmen? Or kept the ladt over for Willey or Plunkett?

 

[Bold Seagull]

Could he have bowled what in the old days were called beamers straight at the batsmen?

No, any delivery over waist height without bouncing is a no ball.

 

[BensGrandad]

No, any delivery over waist height without bouncing is a no ball.

Perhaps he could have aimed at his waist area

 

[Bold Seagull]

Perhaps he could have aimed at his waist area

Then you're bowling a full toss and risking the no ball. Worked for Jordan against Sri Lanka in the 19th over, but not sure he intended to bowl those, looked more like attempted yorkers gone wrong and he got away with it with 2 batsmen caught in the deep.

 

[BensGrandad]

I was surprised the last over was bowled by Stokes I would have thought they would have held 1 over back for Willey or Plunkett. That would have meant Stokes bowling 1 extra over earlier so they may not have needed so many last over.

 

[portlock seagull]

Isandlwana in 1879 takes some beating as a national disgrace.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I was surprised the last over was bowled by Stokes I would have thought they would have held 1 over back for Willey or Plunkett. That would have meant Stokes bowling 1 extra over earlier so they may not have needed so many last over.

Jordan and Stokes bowled the 19th and 20th overs in the tight finishes against Sri Lanka and New Zealand (granted NZ batted first).

Protecting a low total of 155, England did brilliantly to get them needing 27 off the last 2 overs, Jordan's was a brilliant 19th over to concede just 8 runs. I'm not sure they could or should have done anything any different, other than I'm sure Stokes would have preferred that first ball as a wideish yorker than the leggy one it turned out. If Braithwaite had missed the middle of the bat by mm and holed out off that first ball, Stokes would be a hero. It is that fine a margin in T20.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Isandlwana in 1879 takes some beating as a national disgrace.

Indeed. As does Singapore 1942