Iain Fletcher: Tired England must gamble to progress in World cup

It matters little what England side is put out, each game is destined to go to the final deliveries. Well, get the next one wrong against West Indies and the nerves will be settled as England will be out.

How did it get to this? Losing to Ireland was silly, Bangladesh an example of foolishness and failing to defeat India when the game was as good as won was just plain carelessness. Sport is a fickle mistress and it seems she has had enough of this tired England side.

Not that it is all England's fault. The ridiculous scheduling of seven one-day internationals in Australia after the Ashes has left the bulk of the squad walking around like zombies. They are exhausted and clearly struggling to summon the furies at will.

Injuries are hardly helping as well. Last week they waved goodbye to Stuart Broad and Kevin Pietersen, the primary bowler and a dominant batsman respectively, and welcomed Eoin Morgan and Chris Tremlett as replacements. The only positive was the return to the squad of Morgan and he immediately proved in a cultured half-century against Bangaldesh why he is considered one of the world's best one-day batsmen. But still the squad is staggering along like a wounded buffalo waiting for someone to administer the final, killing blow.

Except this bunch of players continue to find reserves of strength when least expected. After Perth in the Ashes they were pilloried and came back brilliant. Startled by Holland, they outplayed India and should have won having chased over 300. Humbled by Ireland, they held their nerve against the supposed tournament favourites, South Africa.

If current form is a guide they will defeat West Indies and then it comes down to knock-out cricket and those results are anyone's guess.

To progress however they need to understand how the dynamic of their team has changed.

Matt Prior is back as opener and yet suffered the indignity of a schoolboy dismissal on Friday.

Mike Yardy was omitted after a poor display against South Africa, but Bangladesh on home turf fielded four spinners.

England need to decide on their best 11 and stick to it. It may be that James Anderson is relegated and the bounce of Tremlett preferred. England have looked best though when trying to take wickets. The containment policy has been hampered by the bowlers' inability, Tim Bresnan and Graeme Swann apart, or sticking to disciplined plans.

So scrap it and go for broke. Nothing stops run-scoring better than wickets falling and England have some natural wicket-takers. The key overs with an older ball also have to be bowled by Ajmal Shahzad and Bresnan. Both get swing and reverse swing and both take wickets.

Andrew Strauss is by nature a conservative fellow and slavishly follows pre-planned strategies.With England threadbare and alternating from superb to shambolic it is time for him to discover some gambler's instinct.

His team, punch drunk and shattered as they are, may just respond to it.