AHEAD of the Cricket World Cup, England captain Jos Buttler stated plainly: "We're not defending anything" - and, on that note, he has been proven to be entirely correct.
Buttler intended his words to mean that England would attack this tournament head on - but, in reality, his team stumbled for the last five-and-a-half weeks from one miserable defeat to the next.
The campaign began back on 5 October with a heavy reverse to New Zealand, the side who they had squeezed past by the barest of margins in the Final at Lord's four years earlier.
And, although a thumping victory over Bangladesh in the second match gave little indication of what was to follow, England were brought quickly back down to earth following a historic 69-run defeat to Afghanistan.
From that point onwards, it got much worse. South Africa took the English bowling attack to the cleaners as the 2019 champions came within a single run of conceding 400 for the first time ever in a One Day International.
In response, England collapsed under scoreboard pressure and ultimately finished 229 runs behind on 170 all out.
Five days later in Bangalore, England's humiliation was complete as they succumbed by eight wickets to an erratic Sri Lanka side after being bowled out for 156 in 33.2 overs while a literal vulture circled the ground.
That left 16.4 overs unbowled in that innings - 100 balls exactly. A screeching irony if ever there was one.
One hundred balls one week - one hundred runs the next; it felt as if the cricket gods were actively haunting English cricket with the number 100.
England next went down against India by that margin despite an improved bowling display which restricted the hosts to 229-9.
It proved more than enough, though, as a brittle batting line-up wilted once again.
Ben Stokes attempted to hit his way into some form but was out for a duck off the 10th ball of a torturous innings.
Yet, remarkably, given their sheer collective incompetence, England had not officially been eliminated as a result of their fifth defeats out of six.
However, Australia were more than happy to hammer the final nail in the holders' coffin - and eventually did, as England failed to chase down a modest target of 287, despite the efforts of Stokes who played a far more measured innings.
That left rock-bottom England with two dead-rubbers against Netherlands and Pakistan - although the importance of these fixtures was rather randomly increased mid-tournament.
Confirmation came from the International Cricket Council (ICC) that only the top eight would qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy, an announcement which caught several teams - including England - by surprise.
It is unclear exactly when the ICC had decided this and the cynic will find it difficult to believe the decision was nothing other than an attempt to give some sort of meaning to matches which would have been otherwise quite meaningless.
Ultimately, England finished seventh to avoid that indignity, comfortably beating Netherlands by 160 runs before making it back-to-back wins against Pakistan where they belatedly showed some signs of being back to their best to compile a score of 337-9.
Pakistan, and neighbours Afghanistan, were the only teams in the final round of matches with a technical chance of breaking into the top four.
However, both had been left with an almost impossible task to finish above New Zealand on net run rate after the Black Caps made light work of Sri Lanka.
Certainly then, there can be no doubt that the best four teams - India, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand - have made it through to the knockout stage.
Pretty much everyone, though, had identified at least three of the sides since the end of matchday four back in mid-October.
Indeed, a lack of overall drama has been reflected by a scarcity of close finishes throughout the competition - with the two biggest World Cup wins in terms of runs both occurring during this edition.
By contrast, only one match has been won by less than a 20-run margin and only one match won by a chasing team more than seven wickets down.
Moreover, the fact that those two matches - Australia v New Zealand and South Africa v Pakistan - occurred within 24 hours of each other has left long stretches in the schedule with a tedious lack of jeopardy or excitement.
Nevertheless, there have been some outstanding individual performances - especially with the bat.
Leading run-scorer Virat Kohli engineered his first century of the tournament against Bangladesh by retaining the strike - then, against South Africa on his 35th birthday, he drew level with his idol Sachin Tendulkar on 49 ODI tons, equalling the all-time record.
Quinton de Kock was the second most prolific player, scoring four centuries against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Australia and New Zealand in what he has stated will be his last World Cup.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the scale, in his first ever senior international tournament, 23-year-old New Zealander Rachin Ravindra has already made three tons against England on his World Cup debut, Australia and Pakistan.
The Australians have dominated in terms of producing the biggest individual scores with Glenn Maxwell hitting a mammoth unbeaten 201 off 128 balls to save the five-time champions from perilous positions of 49-4 and 91-7 against the doughty Afghans.
For good measure, Mitchell Marsh then smashed 177 not out off 132 balls in the Aussies' very next match against Bangladesh for the second highest score of the tournament.
It has been undoubtedly a much more difficult competition with the ball, in general - but it is yet another man in Canary Yellow, spinner Adam Zampa, who leads the way with 22 wickets.
Having said that, Mohammed Shami has easily been the pick of the bowlers in the group stage.
The veteran seamer took 16 wickets at an average of under 10-a-piece in just five matches - including 5-18 against Sri Lanka and 5-54 against New Zealand - as India successfully bowled out seven of their nine opponents on their way to a perfect nine wins out of nine.
At the risk of being accused of sour grapes though, this has sadly not been a well-organised or well-delivered tournament by the ICC, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) or the Indian authorities.
For a start, the organisers were still rejigging the match schedule and venues as late as 9 August, leaving travelling fans with no hope of making advance plans.
Pakistan supporters found it particularly difficult to gain visa access to their neighbouring country - and, against Australia, the few who had made it were even stopped from cheering on their side by police in the stadium.
Beyond the India matches which all had raucous atmospheres of course, crowds otherwise - while not low - have looked sparse in some of the more cavernous grounds.
Sometimes it makes you wonder if the people in charge actually want One Day International cricket to fail - and there is certainly plenty of concern for the future of the format.
Nevertheless, by far the biggest opprobrium in this regard should be reserved for the players and teams who have disrespected the 50-over game - and, as defending champions, England especially have charges to answer for their desperate performances.
Even before the start of the tournament, muddled thinking was evident with World Cup-winning opener Jason Roy told he was in the squad before being discarded at the last minute for Harry Brook because of concerns over a back injury.
Such worries did not seem to be considered when it came to Stokes after he dramatically reversed his decision to retire from ODIs and slotted back into the 15-man selection despite not being fully fit himself.
Worse was to follow. Spooked by the prevalence of T20 franchise leagues around the world, the ECB offered multi-year deals to centrally-contracted players for the first time.
Remarkably though, the deals were signed off right in the middle of a tournament with the very same players who were making a complete mess of their trophy defence - all with the sole exception of David Willey.
To his credit, Willey - who was far from the worst performer - continued to steam in and the left-arm seamer was rewarded on his final appearance against Pakistan with his 100th ODI wicket.
Understandably though, the 33-year-old has now retired from international cricket - and the decision not to offer him a deal was undoubtedly the final straw.
Rumours abounded of disharmony in the camp - rumours which were denied by Australian head coach Matthew Mott who merely watched on gormlessly as his team was routinely dismantled.
Mott - who had previously led an all-conquering Aussie women's team which barely needed coaching to beat their modest competition - seemed to lack any idea how to turn things around when England's hitherto talented batting unit began to falter.
Instead, the Aussie made few public statements and seemed to have even fewer ideas, shirking all responsibility as his side sank ever deeper into the quicksand.
Furthermore, the question must be asked that, if it was still such a happy camp, then how were England playing quite this poorly?
Some of it can be explained by a lack of practice with the holders playing only 42 matches in the 50-over format between their triumph and this tournament compared to 88 games between 2015 and 2019.
Additionally, some of those matches were played at the exact same time as England were also contesting a Test series, resulting in a lack of cohesion between the all-format players and the white-ball specialists.
Put simply though, some of England players in India are just too old and have been badly exposed by the intensity of a long, drawn out World Cup.
In the defeats to Sri Lanka, India and Australia, England did not field a single player aged under 30 - and it was really quite sad to see this golden generation fail over and over again.
Hopefully, once the dust settles, the players in this squad can be remembered for what it achieved rather than what it became - but, contracts or not, this really should be the end of the line for the majority, at least in ODI cricket.
That should include Buttler who has struggled to step up as Eoin Morgan's successor and has even seen his batting form crumble to the extent that he averaged an abysmal 15.33 at this World Cup.
Yet, ECB managing director Rob Key has backed Buttler and Mott with the former included by the latter in the next white-ball squad for a tour of the Caribbean next month.
For now, though, England must watch on as India, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia squabble over a prize which was so hard-won but sadly also so easily given away.
| W | L | NRR | Pts | Results | ||
| (Q) | INDIA | 9 | 0 | 2.57 | 18 | WWWWWWWWW |
| (Q) | SOUTH AFRICA | 7 | 2 | 1.26 | 14 | WWLWWWWLW |
| (Q) | AUSTRALIA | 7 | 2 | 0.84 | 14 | LLWWWWWWW |
| (Q) | NEW ZEALAND | 5 | 4 | 0.74 | 10 | WWWWLLLLW |
| 5 | PAKISTAN | 4 | 5 | -0.20 | 8 | WWLLLLWWL |
| 6 | AFGHANISTAN | 4 | 5 | -0.34 | 8 | LLWLWWWLL |
| 7 | ENGLAND | 3 | 6 | -0.57 | 6 | LWLLLLLWW |
| 8 | BANGLADESH | 2 | 7 | -1.09 | 4 | WLLLLLLWL |
| 9 | SRI LANKA | 2 | 7 | -1.42 | 4 | LLLWWLLLL |
| 10 | NETHERLANDS | 2 | 7 | -1.83 | 4 | LLWLLWLLL |
GROUP STAGE RESULTS
| 01 Thu 05-Oct | 9:30 | ENGLAND | 282-9 | ▪️ NEW ZEALAND won by nine wickets |
| Ahmedabad | NEW ZEALAND | 283-1 36.2 | ||
| 02 Fri 06-Oct | 9:30 | PAKISTAN | 286 49 | ▪️ PAKISTAN won by 81 runs |
| Hyderabad | NETHERLANDS | 205 41 | ||
| 03 Sat 07-Oct | 9:30 | AFGHANISTAN | 156 37.2 | ▪️ BANGLADESH won by six wickets |
| Dharamshala | BANGLADESH | 158-4 34.4 | ||
| 04 Sat 07-Oct | 9:30 | SOUTH AFRICA | 428-5 | ▪️ SOUTH AFRICA won by 102 runs |
| Delhi | SRI LANKA | 326 44.5 | ||
| 05 Sun 08-Oct | 9:30 | AUSTRALIA | 199 49.3 | ▪️ INDIA won by six wickets |
| Chennai | INDIA | 201-4 41.2 | ||
| 06 Mon 09-Oct | 9:30 | NEW ZEALAND | 322-7 | ▪️ NEW ZEALAND won by 99 runs |
| Hyderabad | NETHERLANDS | 223 46.3 | ||
| 07 Tue 10-Oct | 6:00 | BANGLADESH | 227 48.2 | ▪️ ENGLAND won by 137 runs |
| Dharamshala | ENGLAND | 364-9 | ||
| 08 Tue 10-Oct | 9:30 | PAKISTAN | 345-4 48.2 | ▪️ PAKISTAN won by six wickets |
| Hyderabad | SRI LANKA | 344-9 | ||
| 09 Wed 11-Oct | 9:30 | AFGHANISTAN | 272-8 | ▪️ INDIA won by eight wickets |
| Delhi | INDIA | 273-2 35 | ||
| 10 Thu 12-Oct | 9:30 | AUSTRALIA | 177 40.5 | ▪️ SOUTH AFRICA won by 134 runs |
| Lucknow | SOUTH AFRICA | 311-7 | ||
| 11 Fri 13-Oct | 9:30 | BANGLADESH | 245-9 | ▪️ NEW ZEALAND won by eight wickets |
| Chennai | NEW ZEALAND | 248-2 42.5 | ||
| 12 Sat 14-Oct | 9:30 | INDIA | 192-3 30.3 | ▪️ INDIA won by seven wickets |
| Ahmedabad | PAKISTAN | 191 42.5 | ||
| 13 Sun 15-Oct | 9:30 | AFGHANISTAN | 284 49.5 | ▪️ AFGHANISTAN won by 69 runs |
| Delhi | ENGLAND | 215 40.3 | ||
| 14 Mon 16-Oct | 9:30 | AUSTRALIA | 215-5 35.2 | ▪️ AUSTRALIA won by five wickets |
| Lucknow | SRI LANKA | 209 43.3 | ||
| 15 Tue 17-Oct | 9:30 | SOUTH AFRICA | 207 42.5 | ▪️ NETHERLANDS won by 38 runs |
| Dharamshala | NETHERLANDS | 245-8 43 | ||
| 16 Wed 18-Oct | 9:30 | AFGHANISTAN | 139 34.4 | ▪️ NEW ZEALAND won by 149 runs |
| Chennai | NEW ZEALAND | 288-6 | ||
| 17 Thu 19-Oct | 9:30 | BANGLADESH | 256-8 | ▪️ INDIA won by seven wickets |
| Pune | INDIA | 261-3 41.3 | ||
| 18 Fri 20-Oct | 9:30 | AUSTRALIA | 367-9 | ▪️ AUSTRALIA won by 62 runs |
| Bangalore | PAKISTAN | 305 45.3 | ||
| 19 Sat 21-Oct | 6:00 | NETHERLANDS | 262 49.4 | ▪️ SRI LANKA won by five wickets |
| Lucknow | SRI LANKA | 263-5 48.2 | ||
| 20 Sat 21-Oct | 9:30 | ENGLAND | 170 22 | ▪️ SOUTH AFRICA won by 229 runs |
| Mumbai | SOUTH AFRICA | 399-7 | ||
| 21 Sun 22-Oct | 9:30 | INDIA | 274-6 48 | ▪️ INDIA won by four wickets |
| Dharamshala | NEW ZEALAND | 273 | ||
| 22 Mon 23-Oct | 9:30 | AFGHANISTAN | 286-2 49 | ▪️ AFGHANISTAN won by eight wickets |
| Chennai | PAKISTAN | 282-7 | ||
| 23 Tue 24-Oct | 9:30 | BANGLADESH | 233 46.4 | ▪️ SOUTH AFRICA won by 149 runs |
| Mumbai | SOUTH AFRICA | 382-5 | ||
| 24 Wed 25-Oct | 9:30 | AUSTRALIA | 399-8 | ▪️ AUSTRALIA won by 309 runs |
| Delhi | NETHERLANDS | 90 21 | ||
| 25 Thu 26-Oct | 9:30 | ENGLAND | 156 33.2 | ▪️ SRI LANKA won by eight wickets |
| Bangalore | SRI LANKA | 160-2 25.4 | ||
| 26 Fri 27-Oct | 9:30 | PAKISTAN | 270 46.4 | ▪️ SOUTH AFRICA won by one wicket |
| Chennai | SOUTH AFRICA | 271-9 47.2 | ||
| 27 Sat 28-Oct | 6:00 | AUSTRALIA | 388 49.2 | ▪️ AUSTRALIA won by five runs |
| Dharamshala | NEW ZEALAND | 383-9 | ||
| 28 Sat 28-Oct | 9:30 | BANGLADESH | 142 42.2 | ▪️ NETHERLANDS won by 87 runs |
| Kolkata | NETHERLANDS | 229 | ||
| 29 Sun 29-Oct | 8:30 | ENGLAND | 129 34.5 | ▪️ INDIA won by 100 runs |
| Lucknow | INDIA | 229-9 | ||
| 30 Mon 30-Oct | 8:30 | AFGHANISTAN | 242-3 45.2 | ▪️ AFGHANISTAN won by seven wickets |
| Pune | SRI LANKA | 241 49.3 | ||
| 31 Tue 31-Oct | 8:30 | BANGLADESH | 204 45.1 | ▪️ PAKISTAN won by seven wickets |
| Kolkata | PAKISTAN | 205-3 32.3 | ||
| 32 Wed 01-Nov | 8:30 | NEW ZEALAND | 167 35.3 | ▪️ SOUTH AFRICA won by 190 runs |
| Pune | SOUTH AFRICA | 357-4 | ||
| 33 Thu 02-Nov | 8:30 | INDIA | 357-8 | ▪️ INDIA won by 302 runs |
| Mumbai | SRI LANKA | 55 19.4 | ||
| 34 Fri 03-Nov | 8:30 | AFGHANISTAN | 181-3 31.3 | ▪️ AFGHANISTAN won by seven wickets |
| Lucknow | NETHERLANDS | 179 46.3 | ||
| 35 Sat 04-Nov | 5:00 | NEW ZEALAND | 401-6 | ▪️ PAKISTAN won by 21 runs DLS |
| Bangalore | PAKISTAN | 200-1 25.3 | ||
| 36 Sat 04-Nov | 8:30 | AUSTRALIA | 286 49.3 | ▪️ AUSTRALIA won by 33 runs |
| Ahmedabad | ENGLAND | 253 48.1 | ||
| 37 Sun 05-Nov | 8:30 | INDIA | 326-5 | ▪️ INDIA won by 243 runs |
| Kolkata | SOUTH AFRICA | 83 27.1 | ||
| 38 Mon 06-Nov | 8:30 | BANGLADESH | 282-7 41.1 | ▪️ BANGLADESH won by three wickets |
| Delhi | SRI LANKA | 279 49.3 | ||
| 39 Tue 07-Nov | 8:30 | AUSTRALIA | 293-7 46.5 | ▪️ AUSTRALIA won by three wickets |
| Mumbai | AFGHANISTAN | 291-5 | ||
| 40 Wed 08-Nov | 8:30 | ENGLAND | 339-9 | ▪️ ENGLAND won by 160 runs |
| Pune | NETHERLANDS | 179 37.2 | ||
| 41 Thu 09-Nov | 8:30 | NEW ZEALAND | 172-5 23.2 | ▪️ NEW ZEALAND won by five wickets |
| Bangalore | SRI LANKA | 171 46.4 | ||
| 42 Fri 10-Nov | 8:30 | AFGHANISTAN | 244 | ▪️ SOUTH AFRICA won by five wickets |
| Ahmedabad | SOUTH AFRICA | 247-5 47.3 | ||
| 43 Sat 11-Nov | 5:00 | AUSTRALIA | 307-2 44.4 | ▪️ AUSTRALIA won by eight wickets |
| Pune | BANGLADESH | 306-8 | ||
| 44 Sat 11-Nov | 8:30 | ENGLAND | 337-9 | ▪️ ENGLAND won by 93 runs |
| Kolkata | PAKISTAN | 244 43.3 | ||
| 45 Sun 12-Nov | 8:30 | INDIA | 410-4 | ▪️ INDIA won by 160 runs |
| Bangalore | NETHERLANDS | 250 47.5 | ||
SEMI FINAL RESULTS
| SF1 Wed 15-Nov | 8:30 | INDIA | 397-4 | ▪️ INDIA won by 70 runs |
| Mumbai | NEW ZEALAND | 327 48.5 | ||
| SF2 Thu 16-Nov | 8:30 | SOUTH AFRICA | 212 49.4 | ▪️ AUSTRALIA won by three wickets |
| Kolkata | AUSTRALIA | 215-7 47.2 | ||
CENTURIES
174 Quinton de Kock (South Africa) v Bangladesh
152* Devon Conway (New Zealand) v England
134 Daryl Mitchell (New Zealand) v India SF
116 Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand) v Australia
108 Rassie van der Dussen (South Africa) v Sri Lanka
108 Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand) v Pakistan
108 Charith Asalanka (Sri Lanka) v Bangladesh
104 David Warner (Australia) v Netherlands
103* Virat Kohli (India) v Bangladesh
100 David Miller (South Africa) v Australia SF
100 Quinton de Kock (South Africa) v Sri Lanka
FIVE-WICKET HAULS
5-18 Mohammed Shami (India) v Sri Lanka
5-33 Ravindra Jadeja (India) v South Africa
5-52 Mitchell Santner (New Zealand) v Netherlands
5-80 Dilshan Madushanka (Sri Lanka) v India
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