A Nation Expects - Unfortunately

The Cricket World Cup got underway today to the tune of England's favouritism. Usually such expectation has a debilitating effect on our players but, on this occasion, only the greatest churl would argue that they have not earned the tag by virtue of their prior performances. They have elevated the fifty over game to a point where a total of a mere three hundred can seem inadequate. Their bowling does not convince quite as readily as the brutal batting but, hey, you can't have everything.

 I watched much of the game against South Africa today and at one point in the middle of the South African reply to England's innings, I felt that too familiar deflated sensation of the England fan (in any sport - cricket is hardly alone in letting us down) and was readying myself to write a blog which castigated the attendant mood of confidence. In fact I was wrong by a massive margin. England were reassuringly professional in bowling South Africa out. And if you haven't yet seen Ben Stokes's catch, please gooogle it and wonder at what a man can do. I think I am going to allow myself to be optimistic