The pressure on England heading into the Second Test against the West Indies will be inordinate. It just wasn't that they lost the opening Test of the series but that they did so in such an abject pathetic way. To be bowled out for 51 in 34 overs is nowhere near good enough.
After the loss, an SOS should have been sent out to Michael Vaughan and he should have been put on the first plane to the Caribbean. There is no doubt he would make a better fist of it. Ian Bell simply isn't providing them with the impetus which they require at Number 3.
If Alastair Cook doesn't start making some runs they might want to drag Michael Atherton out from the press box and ask that he put the pads on.
The bowlers did reasonably well although they have to work out the challenges system better.
When you lose as horribly as England did, you can go in one of two directions. You can plummet further or you can be galvanized by the criticism and come out fighting.
England would be well aware that the Australian side is watching them with an eye to the Ashes. Ashes 2009 is now just five short months away. As much as Australia are struggling, if England don't regroup they could be looking down the barrel of another 5-0 Ashes pummeling.
The problem for England is that they don't have much as far as up and coming cricketers. Who else is there who has the ability to shine in the cauldron of Ashes cricket? If this team is all England has, they are in more trouble than they thought.
The West Indies need to be careful they don't let the First Test victory get to their heads. They haven't won the series yet and the worse thing they could do is allow themselves to be lulled into a false sense of security.
This will be just the second Test to be played at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua. The locals will be hoping they can summon the aura of the man who made a habit of terrorizing the English team. As for England, it's not just the series on the line but some of their careers.
David Wiseman is a sports journalist, who writes about all the sports he loves, for Betfair Australia. He is particularly looking forward to the Ashes cricket and to the Grand Final NRL.
