England’s World Cup wannabes will be kicking themselves over their opportunities missed

THE ALL BLACKS comparison has been made often with the England men’s white-ball cricket side in recent years, the familiar refrain among those on the fringes being that breaking into it is among the more challenging tasks in world sport.

- Malik Ouzia

When all are fit and available — an admittedly rare occurrence — there has seldom been more than a position or two up for debate and plenty of players have shown worthy form in franchise or domestic cricket for significant periods without getting anything like a prolonged crack.

So, when opportunities in this double-world-champion set-up arise — such as those afforded to James Vince, Phil Salt and Ben Duckett in the 50-over team in recent months — they must be taken.

Neither Vince, who now leaves the camp, nor Salt, who at least still has three T20s to come in Bangladesh, managed to quite do that during England’s 2-1 series victory , the pair’s agonised reactions to dismissals after making starts in yesterday’s Third ODI telling of a chance squandered.