Fielding lets England down

ENGLAND were 8 to 1 outsiders to win the World Cup before a ball was bowled - and already they've made those odds look mean in the extreme! Nearly four weeks have passed since Mike Atherton's men left South Africa smarting from the loss of six out of seven limited-overs internationals.

But yesterday they quickly dropped back into the old routine, shooting themselves in the foot time and again as unfancied New Zealand launched the tournament with an 11-run victory in Ahmedabad.

Four catches were spilled - the first of them when century-maker Nathan Astle had scored just one - and then they managed to give away the wicket of potential match-winner Graeme Hick after a blistering innings of 85.

Having lost three matches batting first and three matches batting second in South Africa, Atherton had little to go on after winning the toss. But while Illingworth seemed to favour setting a target, the skipper opted to chase.

Atherton's second over dismissal - yorked leg stump by Dion Nash - set the alarm bells ringing. But Hick, though handicapped by a hamstring problem severe enough for his skipper to stay in the middle as a runner, was soon murdering the New Zealand attack.

He roared to 50 off 59 balls and had reached 85 from 101 deliveries when England contrived to give the opposition huge helping hand.

Fairbrother drove Astle towards short extra cover and set off before waiting to see whether Roger Twose had been beaten.

Atherton hesitated fatally a couple of yards down the pitch, then set off again only to finish two feet from safety as Twose added an accurate throw to his diving stop.

The only man entirely blameless was Hick. But with him gone, England lost their way in an all-too familiar fashion.