LONDON, (Reuters) – England’s shock defeat by Ireland at the Cricket World Cup was described as the country’s greatest humiliation by one newspaper on Thursday, as pundits and headline writers laid into the team with gusto.
Here is a selection of reaction from England on Thursday:
“GREATEST HUMILIATION”
The headline in The Daily Telegraph read simply, “England’s greatest humiliation” while inside former batsman Geoffrey Boycott advised the team that without a massive improvement in their bowling they should start their packing early. “How the mighty have fallen so quickly,” Boycott wrote. “England were national heroes after winning the Ashes. Now they are national chumps after this shocking and embarrassing defeat.”
“COMPLACENCY AND
ARRO GANCE”
Former England captain Mike Atherton in The Times:
“England, of course, made it easy for them with shoddy cricket. There was a palpable sense of complacency that crept in during the Ireland innings, born undoubtedly of arrogance and a ridiculous belief in their superiority. “England were bad but take nothing away from Ireland; they played magnificently and courageously. This was the greatest night in Irish cricketing history.”
“SOUND BARRIER BROKEN”
Stephen Brenkley, The Independent:
“On the scale of sporting shocks, Ireland broke the sound barrier last night. It was not so much that they defeated England in the World Cup … but the unthinkable fashion of their three-wicket victory.
“With their top five batsmen all dismissed after they set off in pursuit of 328 runs to win, a 26-year-old Dubliner with pink and blond hair turned the match and perhaps the tournament on its head.”
“CLOWN SHOES”
Ali Martin, The Sun:
“England are making hay with the bat … but they might as well don big red noses and clown shoes against South Africa on Sunday, so calamitous has been their fielding so far.”
