England captain Ben Stokes delivered a scathing assessment of his team's performance after their shock defeat to Scotland in their T20 World Cup warm-up match. The all-rounder didn't hold back, labelling England's energy as "flat" during the six-wicket loss at The Oval.
Stokes Furious With England's Lacklustre Display
The normally composed Stokes appeared visibly frustrated as he addressed reporters post-match. "We were just flat," he stated bluntly. "When you turn up and play for England, there's a certain standard expected - and we fell well short of that today."
Scotland chased down England's modest total of 183 with surprising ease, reaching their target with nine balls to spare. The Scottish batsmen capitalised on some wayward bowling and lethargic fielding from the hosts.
World Cup Warning Signs for England
With the T20 World Cup just days away, Stokes' comments will ring alarm bells for England fans. The defeat exposed several worrying weaknesses:
- Inconsistent bowling at the death
- Several dropped catches in the field
- Lack of intent during the powerplay overs
"We've got some serious work to do before our first World Cup game," admitted Stokes. "This performance simply wasn't good enough."
Scotland Celebrate Historic Victory
For Scotland, this victory represents one of their finest moments in T20 cricket. Captain Richie Berrington praised his team's "fearless" approach against the former world champions.
The result serves as a timely reminder of cricket's growing competitiveness, with associate nations increasingly capable of upsetting the established order.
England must now regroup quickly before their World Cup opener against Australia on June 10th. As Stokes put it: "We need to find our intensity - and fast."
