Nasser Hussain, the former England Captain, has come out and expressed that England's current limited overs team under Eoin Morgan needed the "kick up the backside" that their defeat against Scotland yesterday will provide them.
Scotland's historic win became England's embarrassment, as the hosts won by 6 runs at the scenic ground in Edinburgh, but the number one ranked ODI side doesn't have to worry too much, reiterates Hussain.
Hussain believes that this England side would be unperturbed from a defeat like this and needn't worry like the previous English teams use to from the losses against the likes of Ireland and Netherlands.
He was quoted saying to Sky Sports as, "Those sides that lost to Ireland or whatever, they were sides who were bluffing their way through tournaments a little bit, changing just before tournaments and not really knowing how to win,"
"This is a different side, this is a side that just needed a little knock at the knees, a little kick up the backside to say, 'yep, you're No 1 in the world but if you don't do your skills well, any side, even ranked 13 in the world, can beat you.' They'll move on under Morgan, they won't over-analyse, they won't over-stress. I didn't think the bowlers bowled particularly well, I'd like to see a few more cunning plans like the plan we saw from Willey, not just to run up and keep running up and doing the same thing"
England gave away 371 runs against a talented but inexperienced Scotland batting line up on a flat pitch and Hussain believes, it is bowling plans that Morgan's side must focus on ahead of next year's World Cup at home.
"The key about World Cups is being ahead of the curve so I'd like to see captains, coaches, bowling attacks think, 'if we get on a ground where you could get 400' - Trent Bridge you can get 400 or go for 400 - 'what are we going to do? Are we going to bowl back-of-a-length and keep disappearing out of the ground or are we going to have some cunning plans that you can work with?' It is difficult but there must be a plan B or C"
"I'd be interested to hear from Eoin on why he only bowled the five bowlers today. Was that a little bit of thinking that they were going to be under pressure and he wanted to see them deliver? Some good things came out of today, even from England's point of view."
The extremely well aware Nasser Hussain further talked about the need for Scotland Cricket to try and push for future excellence and keep improving rather than thinking that they've achieved something really big.
He said, "What I like about Scotland is that there are some new faces, you have to do a bit of research about some of the younger players and who is coming through and I think that is going to be the absolute key, Sometimes I see Ireland and it is the same names years after year, they're a very good side but really if you want a future, your future, it's what is coming up beneath"
"Those top four, senior players did really well but youngsters also coming in so there is a constant flow, Cricket Scotland looking to improve. This can't just be their Everest, climb it and that's it, 'we're done'. This has to be their starting point to kick on for the future. They have sent a massive statement out to the ICC today."
(Inputs from Sky Sports)
