England's Fortunate Getaway - Which Problems Need Addressing?

Was it luck that was on England's side, or the simple inevitability of scheduling a cricket tournament during monsoon season?

In any case, England got away with one against Pakistan this past Wednesday - big time.

The squad had been undefeated in three matches, cruising through the group stage with just a struggling Pakistani side blocking their path from going into crucial encounters against India and Australia without a loss.

This should have represented smooth sailing: The English team has historically lost just one match against Pakistan, in a T20 back in 2013, and never in the 50-over format.

However, rather than taking momentum into those two big games versus the competition's top contenders, the team received a shock through a startling reality check.

The English side was completely dominated during twenty-five overs prior to the initial rainfall at the Colombo venue, slumping to 79-7 while Pakistani fast bowlers skillfully exploited a challenging yet manageable pitch, followed by spin bowlers taking over against the vulnerable English middle batting lineup.

Then the rain cruelly denied Pakistan a famous win after it cleared providing sixty minutes of opportunity with sufficient duration to achieve thirty-four without loss in pursuit of 113, The English team's relieved expressions contrasted with skipper Fatima Sana's disappointment as the Colombo outfield became submerged.

This represented England's fortunate reprieve and they have no choice but to learn from it.

Moving forward, they are unlikely they'll escape another such situation.

Pakistan Expose Glaring Weakness

This tournament's fixture list is tricky. Focusing particularly on England, they are playing their preliminary matches across four different venues, each offering different conditions which essentially requires adaptation during matches.

Against Sri Lanka merely ninety-six hours earlier, the English played on a distinct pitch but one which offered turn, bounce with minimal assistance for the seamers. This surface differed, while English batters did not adapt quickly enough to its characteristics.

The Pakistani side possessed definite strategies and executed them, constantly challenging the English team's vulnerable batting through moving the ball sharply into the right-handers.

Diana Baig's dismissal against Tammy Beaumont deviated dramatically off the pitch, the opener playing a dramatic non-shot only to see her off-stump being disturbed.

Nat Sciver-Brunt's wicket deviated two and a half degrees from the surface, not dissimilar to movement typically seen from an off-spinner, with the English captain's response arms outstretched and a look of disbelief telling the complete story - they probably had not prepared for or anticipated such conditions.

Amy Jones was also bowled to Fatima's bowling, that delivery deviating two degrees from the surface, while another ball moved 1.6 degrees resulting in Heather Knight's leg-before decision.

It was the first time in any format that an England top seven had all been bowled or lbw since early twentieth century, testament to Pakistan's discipline in targeting the stumps.

By the end of England's revised 31 overs, the batting side encountered sixty-one deliveries which would have hit the stumps. They surrendered eight batters to them while managing only twenty-three runs.

India and Australia Lie in Wait

England travel to Indore for their next two games to face their most challenging rivals in India, on Sunday, and Australia on 22 October.

Both represent difficult opposition to encounter while batting fragilities to address however the local pitches are anticipated as flatter and friendlier for batting.

It was Knight's gritty determination that saved the team against Bangladesh and Sciver-Brunt's class guaranteed they achieved a competitive score against Sri Lanka, yet when both departed quickly against Pakistan, England could not recover.

{"Nat Sciver-Brunt and Heather Knight have accumulated greater runs collectively than their team-mates combined at this tournament," Former championship player Alex Hartley said on broadcast coverage. "That says something within itself, and both were absent during the opening game. That represents a worry."

Beaumont and Jones have struggled against the swinging ball - partnerships of six, twenty-four and thirteen following the chase of just 70 in their initial match versus South Africa - however the coach's initial decision in charge was to show faith and re-promote Jones, making it improbable she will disrupt the pair.

After Sciver-Brunt and Knight, England's next best batter has been number eight Charlie Dean scoring a solid twenty-seven not out in a tense chase against Bangladesh, a handy 19 against Sri Lanka and she led scoring with thirty-three versus Pakistan.

There have been glimpses of promise from Alice Capsey batting seventh but Sophia Dunkley and Emma Lamb face difficulties beginning their batting versus spin bowling in the middle order.

Lamb has 18 runs across three batting attempts while Sophia Dunkley managed twenty-nine, both losing their wickets to spin, with Lamb being required to perform an unaccustomed position.

While occupying top-order positions, Lamb averages 44 over sixty-one innings with five centuries. These three innings here represent her initial experience at number six professionally in the 50-over format.

Danielle Wyatt-Hodge represents England's unused batting option on the bench, having previously batted in middle positions for a number of years, making it intriguing to observe the duration the Lamb trial persists.

England may have dodged an embarrassing slip-up here, but will be aware things are not going become less challenging.

Indian and Australian teams wait. Any wobbles against those two could see England's tournament rapidly deteriorate.