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England Ashes squad - unmatchable in awfulness !?
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I was reading the England Ashes tour described as arguably the worst tour in England's cricket history.
Quite possibly, but actually I really think that could be setting the bar too low !
This Australia team were whitewashed 4-0 in India and beaten 3-0 in England ( with 2 draws ), and sneered at in many places. England were clear favourites in the series. But they were not only whitewashed 5-0, they were ultimately absolutely thumped in every test. They couldn't trust any of 3 big pace bowlers on Australia's generally faster bouncy tracks, their main spinner abandoned ship before the end and retired, their batting order seemed to be trying to outdo itself in awful collapses, and they finished the 5th test a rabble, who lost within 3 days.
I really do think this Ashes squad is right up there as producing arguably, in all the circumstances, just about the most shocking overall performance by any British sporting side ever !!
Agree or who do you think can match or even better them ?
Quite possibly, but actually I really think that could be setting the bar too low !
This Australia team were whitewashed 4-0 in India and beaten 3-0 in England ( with 2 draws ), and sneered at in many places. England were clear favourites in the series. But they were not only whitewashed 5-0, they were ultimately absolutely thumped in every test. They couldn't trust any of 3 big pace bowlers on Australia's generally faster bouncy tracks, their main spinner abandoned ship before the end and retired, their batting order seemed to be trying to outdo itself in awful collapses, and they finished the 5th test a rabble, who lost within 3 days.
I really do think this Ashes squad is right up there as producing arguably, in all the circumstances, just about the most shocking overall performance by any British sporting side ever !!
Agree or who do you think can match or even better them ?
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Will be interesting to see how the Aussies fair with SA coming up.
England's football team beaten 1-0 by the USA in the 1950 World Cup.
Scotland's football team drawing 1-1 with Iran in 1978
Team GB 1 Gold medal in Atlanta Olympics 1996
It was thought very bad by GB at the time ( though actually 6 had been our highest since Paris 1924 and 5 had been our going rate in the previous few Olympics. Now it just seems incredible.
My other nomination would have been the relegated Manchester United team of 1973-74.
I fear the players and press were just too complacent rubbishing the likes of Johnson before the 1st test which just motivated the Aussies even more.
Suspect it was one of the most underwhelming performances - 2-1 or something BUT 5-0 was shocking from a set of players that were supposed to be better than Australia.
Far, far worse in cricketing terms was the 1989 England Ashes squad - most of the 29 (twenty-nine!) players in that series were awful.
Apart from Robin Smith, Jack Russell and Angus Fraser.
Botham past it, Gower found out as a hopeless captain who'd been very lucky in 85, all those who buggered off to South Africa.
Australia batting all day without losing a wicket on the first day of the fifth test.
England would've lost (not could've, would've) lost 6 - 0 had it not been for the weather at Edgbaston and 'full and mental disintegration' and bad light at the Oval.
An Australian team rated as one of the worst - Steve Waugh yet to score a 100 in test cricket, Border had lost 2 Ashes series in a row, no McDermott or Bruce Reid.
The indian cricket team, couldnt win a match the last time they toured Engalnd. Had one hell of a batting line up, yet couldnt cope with bounce or a swinging ball.
Ahhhh, that's making me nostalgic!
I think that's the point though - 2013/14 team is a much stronger one than in the 90's but the performance was shockingly bad. They'd just won a series 3-0 - albeit even at the time most said a little flatteringly. Personally I think it is the most embarrassing performance ever by English / British team in the modern era.
I would love to have put up the current team up against the West Indies of the 1980's - Holding, Marshall, Garner etc? Would love to see KP 'playing his own game' against that lot!
Well, we were talking about British performances, but you have to add the French World Cup squad's players' mutiny in 2010.
To make matters worse for them, they had the top goal scorers from England (Henry), Italy (Trezuegeut) and France (Cisse) in their squad?
One win all season!
This series had been frustrating considering England won the Ashes a few months ago 3-0[should have been 4-0 had the Umpires not called an end to the 5th test with only 21 runs needed to win]
England in Euro 88, lost every game. Also England in Euro 92 England drew the first 2 group games 0-0, then lost 2-1 to the hosts Sweden after leading 1-0.
That 3-0 scoreline really flattered England. Australia could have won 4-1. The runs that Broad added after not walking made the difference at Trent Bridge. The rain came to our rescue at Old Trafford in the 3rd Test. In the 4th test, Australia could have chased down that target had they batted more carefully and the time taken out of the last test by the loss of day 4 denied Australia the chance to bat England out of the game and go for the win.
You can't compare a complete and utter tw-atting over the course of 5 test matches to one off results in a single game of football.
I'm going to Aus to be the Best Man at my mates wedding soon. I expect ribbing from Aussies over the Ashes. Luckily, as I couldn't give a fcuk about Cricket, it wont bother me one iota.
Back on topic, it is very difficult to think of a comparably bad performance by a supposedly international-level sports team. The persistent battering England received actually became comical.
I suppose the one contender I can think of is reigning World Cup holders France capitulating, getting beat twice and securing a solitary point in their group games and sent home at the earliest opportunity at the 2002 World Cup.