I was thinking about England's poor ODI performances of recent years and have not long since put all the series results into a spreadsheet. I decided yesterday to have a look at England's record in ODIs and break it down into five year spells to show how bad England have become when they once were a reasonable side.
All ODIs recorded as the year they actually took place
England's ODI record*
1970-1974 : P12 W6 L5 (Won 50%)
1975-1979 : P34 W21 L10 (Won 61.76%)
1980-1984 : P53 W26 L26 (Won 49.06%)
1985-1989 : P68 W38 L29 (Won 55.88%)
1990-1994 : P64 W28 L32 (Won 43.75%)
1995-1999 : P73 W32 L38 (Won 43.84%)
2000-2004 : P113 W52 L50 (Won 46.02%)
2005-2009 : P86 W33 L45 (Won 38.37%)
*results not included were ties, abandoned or no result. Losses include forfeit games.
England are as bad as they have ever been, from 1970-1974 up until the 1990-1994 period England won at least as many ODIs as they lost, only in 2000-2004 have they won more than they lost since. And even that 2000-2004 period includes a lot of easy wins :-
England ODIs 2000-2004
vs Zimbabwe : P26 W19 L4 (Won 73.08%)
vs Bangladesh : P4 W4 L0 (Won 100.00%)
vs HOL/NAM : P2 W2 L0 (Won 100.00%)
vs rest : P81 W27 L46 (Won 33.33%)
England played an extraordinary number of matches vs Zimbabwe - 4 at home in a triangular with West Indies (2000), 4 away in Zimbabwe (2000), 3 in a triangular with South Africa (2000), 5 more away in Zimbabwe (2001), 4 more at home in another triangular (2003) and another 4 at home (2004) with two other one-off matches in World Cups etc. Another interesting stat involves the World Cup years, the most ODIs England have played in any year (Jan-Dec) is 34 in 2007, 31 in 1987 and 28 in 2003 - all World Cup years which is no surprise what with preparation and the increasing number of matches in the World Cup itself.
England In World Cup Years
1975 : P7 W4 L1 (Won 57.14%)
1979 : P14 W9 L4 (Won 64.29%)
1983 : P20 W9 L11 (Won 45.00%)
1987 : P31 W22 L9 (Won 70.97%)
1992 : P18 W13 L4 (Won 72.22%)
1996 : P20 W7 L12 (Won 35.00%)
1999 : P22 W9 L12 (Won 40.91%)
2003 : P28 W13 L12 (Won 46.43%)
2007 : P34 W18 L16 (Won 52.94%)
World Cup years in purple are where England reached the final, noticeably by far the three best in terms of percentage ODIs won in that year. As for head to heads :
England Head To Head ODI Records
Bangladesh : P8 W8 L0 (Won 100.00%)
Zimbabwe : P33 W21 L9 (Won 63.64%)
Pakistan : P63 W35 L26 (Won 55.56%)
Sri Lanka : P45 W22 L21 (Won 48.89%)
India : P66 W30 L33 (Won 45.45%)
New Zealand : P70 W29 L33 (Won 41.43%)
West Indies : P78 W32 L39 (Won 41.03%)
Australia : P94 W37 L52 (Won 39.36%)
South Africa : P35 W11 L22 (Won 31.43%)
England have a 100% record against non-Test playing nations. England only have a better head to head record against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, the two most recent additions to the Test scene and pretty weak sides, Pakistan and Sri Lanka - who only really became a force in the 1990s. England's demise in terms of decades is clear to see :
England's ODI Record By Decade
1970s : P46 W27 L15 (Won 58.70%)
1980s : P121 W64 L55 (Won 52.89%)
1990s : P137 W60 L70 (Won 43.80%)
2000s : P199 W85 L95 (Won 42.71%)
An ever increasing number played by England per decade, with the rest of 2008 and the whole of 2009 left to go England will have around double the number of ODIs played in the 2000s as they played in the 1980s. The 2000s record may look ok at face value, but is bolstered by ODIs vs weak opposition :-
England's ODI Record 2000 Onwards
vs Zimbabwe : P26 W19 L4 (Won 73.08%)
vs Bangladesh : P8 W8 L0 (Won 100.00%)
vs Non-Test : P6 W6 L0 (Won 100.00%)
vs rest : P159 W52 L91 (Won 32.70%)
England have played Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and Non-Test nations 52 times and 40 of those have come since 2000 (76.92%) As soon as England play a decent side we expect them to lose, certainly in World Cups of recent times. How did England become so bad? Too much theory with keepers opening, pinch-hitters, "variety", all-rounders who are more like bits 'n' pieces cricketers, trying to score quickly with no foundations laid and players underperforming? It's no great surprise that other nations have more experience in their ranks and do better, England don't seem to have any stability in any department. I'd be interested to know the records of ODIs in a calendar year of the other Test nations, I'm guessing England's will be one of the lowest. If England played 40+ ODIs a year they'd soon have a side filled with players who have 100+ caps instead of one in Collingwood (who is currently banned) and injury hit Flintoff.
England ODI Caps (Current Players*)
145 Collingwood - current captain and currently banned
127 Flintoff - has been out injured
90 Anderson - inconsistent and expensive
86 Vaughan - no longer playing ODIs
78 Strauss - not always picked
75 Pietersen
68 Bell
51 Solanki - another victim of England's selection policy
*have played in the last two years
Only eight out of a staggering 35 players used in the past two years have accumulated 50+ caps. SIX of those 35 players have been wicket-keepers - Jones, Prior, Nixon, Read, Mustard and now Ambrose. Jones is one shy of the 50 club, between them they have played 140 ODIs. Compare the lack of ODI caps with other countries :
50+ ODI Caps By Nation (Current Players)
15 India : 100+ x11, 50+ x4
12 Pakistan : 100+ x6, 50+ x6
11 South Africa : 100+ x6, 50+ x5
10 Sri Lanka : 100+ x6, 50+ x4
10 Bangladesh : 100+ x3, 50+ x7
9 West Indies : 100+ x5, 50+ x4
8 Australia : 100+ x5, 50+ x3
8 England : 100+ x2, 50+ x6
8 Zimbabwe : 100+ x0, 50+ x8
6 New Zealand : 100+ x3, 50+ x3
India have four players with 250+ ODI caps, the most ever ODI caps any England player boasts is 170 by Alec Stewart (1989-2003) which Collingwood may well surpass. Australia have just had some retirements, Warne, McGrath and Gilchrist all had 100+ ODI caps. Only Zimbabwe boast fewer current players with 100+ ODI caps, not surprising under the circumstances. While other countries play ridiculuous numbers of ODIs, England have been left behind. They're playing more and more, but still way behind.
All ODIs recorded as the year they actually took place
England's ODI record*
1970-1974 : P12 W6 L5 (Won 50%)
1975-1979 : P34 W21 L10 (Won 61.76%)
1980-1984 : P53 W26 L26 (Won 49.06%)
1985-1989 : P68 W38 L29 (Won 55.88%)
1990-1994 : P64 W28 L32 (Won 43.75%)
1995-1999 : P73 W32 L38 (Won 43.84%)
2000-2004 : P113 W52 L50 (Won 46.02%)
2005-2009 : P86 W33 L45 (Won 38.37%)
*results not included were ties, abandoned or no result. Losses include forfeit games.
England are as bad as they have ever been, from 1970-1974 up until the 1990-1994 period England won at least as many ODIs as they lost, only in 2000-2004 have they won more than they lost since. And even that 2000-2004 period includes a lot of easy wins :-
England ODIs 2000-2004
vs Zimbabwe : P26 W19 L4 (Won 73.08%)
vs Bangladesh : P4 W4 L0 (Won 100.00%)
vs HOL/NAM : P2 W2 L0 (Won 100.00%)
vs rest : P81 W27 L46 (Won 33.33%)
England played an extraordinary number of matches vs Zimbabwe - 4 at home in a triangular with West Indies (2000), 4 away in Zimbabwe (2000), 3 in a triangular with South Africa (2000), 5 more away in Zimbabwe (2001), 4 more at home in another triangular (2003) and another 4 at home (2004) with two other one-off matches in World Cups etc. Another interesting stat involves the World Cup years, the most ODIs England have played in any year (Jan-Dec) is 34 in 2007, 31 in 1987 and 28 in 2003 - all World Cup years which is no surprise what with preparation and the increasing number of matches in the World Cup itself.
England In World Cup Years
1975 : P7 W4 L1 (Won 57.14%)
1979 : P14 W9 L4 (Won 64.29%)
1983 : P20 W9 L11 (Won 45.00%)
1987 : P31 W22 L9 (Won 70.97%)
1992 : P18 W13 L4 (Won 72.22%)
1996 : P20 W7 L12 (Won 35.00%)
1999 : P22 W9 L12 (Won 40.91%)
2003 : P28 W13 L12 (Won 46.43%)
2007 : P34 W18 L16 (Won 52.94%)
World Cup years in purple are where England reached the final, noticeably by far the three best in terms of percentage ODIs won in that year. As for head to heads :
England Head To Head ODI Records
Bangladesh : P8 W8 L0 (Won 100.00%)
Zimbabwe : P33 W21 L9 (Won 63.64%)
Pakistan : P63 W35 L26 (Won 55.56%)
Sri Lanka : P45 W22 L21 (Won 48.89%)
India : P66 W30 L33 (Won 45.45%)
New Zealand : P70 W29 L33 (Won 41.43%)
West Indies : P78 W32 L39 (Won 41.03%)
Australia : P94 W37 L52 (Won 39.36%)
South Africa : P35 W11 L22 (Won 31.43%)
England have a 100% record against non-Test playing nations. England only have a better head to head record against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, the two most recent additions to the Test scene and pretty weak sides, Pakistan and Sri Lanka - who only really became a force in the 1990s. England's demise in terms of decades is clear to see :
England's ODI Record By Decade
1970s : P46 W27 L15 (Won 58.70%)
1980s : P121 W64 L55 (Won 52.89%)
1990s : P137 W60 L70 (Won 43.80%)
2000s : P199 W85 L95 (Won 42.71%)
An ever increasing number played by England per decade, with the rest of 2008 and the whole of 2009 left to go England will have around double the number of ODIs played in the 2000s as they played in the 1980s. The 2000s record may look ok at face value, but is bolstered by ODIs vs weak opposition :-
England's ODI Record 2000 Onwards
vs Zimbabwe : P26 W19 L4 (Won 73.08%)
vs Bangladesh : P8 W8 L0 (Won 100.00%)
vs Non-Test : P6 W6 L0 (Won 100.00%)
vs rest : P159 W52 L91 (Won 32.70%)
England have played Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and Non-Test nations 52 times and 40 of those have come since 2000 (76.92%) As soon as England play a decent side we expect them to lose, certainly in World Cups of recent times. How did England become so bad? Too much theory with keepers opening, pinch-hitters, "variety", all-rounders who are more like bits 'n' pieces cricketers, trying to score quickly with no foundations laid and players underperforming? It's no great surprise that other nations have more experience in their ranks and do better, England don't seem to have any stability in any department. I'd be interested to know the records of ODIs in a calendar year of the other Test nations, I'm guessing England's will be one of the lowest. If England played 40+ ODIs a year they'd soon have a side filled with players who have 100+ caps instead of one in Collingwood (who is currently banned) and injury hit Flintoff.
England ODI Caps (Current Players*)
145 Collingwood - current captain and currently banned
127 Flintoff - has been out injured
90 Anderson - inconsistent and expensive
86 Vaughan - no longer playing ODIs
78 Strauss - not always picked
75 Pietersen
68 Bell
51 Solanki - another victim of England's selection policy
*have played in the last two years
Only eight out of a staggering 35 players used in the past two years have accumulated 50+ caps. SIX of those 35 players have been wicket-keepers - Jones, Prior, Nixon, Read, Mustard and now Ambrose. Jones is one shy of the 50 club, between them they have played 140 ODIs. Compare the lack of ODI caps with other countries :
50+ ODI Caps By Nation (Current Players)
15 India : 100+ x11, 50+ x4
12 Pakistan : 100+ x6, 50+ x6
11 South Africa : 100+ x6, 50+ x5
10 Sri Lanka : 100+ x6, 50+ x4
10 Bangladesh : 100+ x3, 50+ x7
9 West Indies : 100+ x5, 50+ x4
8 Australia : 100+ x5, 50+ x3
8 England : 100+ x2, 50+ x6
8 Zimbabwe : 100+ x0, 50+ x8
6 New Zealand : 100+ x3, 50+ x3
India have four players with 250+ ODI caps, the most ever ODI caps any England player boasts is 170 by Alec Stewart (1989-2003) which Collingwood may well surpass. Australia have just had some retirements, Warne, McGrath and Gilchrist all had 100+ ODI caps. Only Zimbabwe boast fewer current players with 100+ ODI caps, not surprising under the circumstances. While other countries play ridiculuous numbers of ODIs, England have been left behind. They're playing more and more, but still way behind.
