England’s World Cup title defence is officially OVER after a 33 run defeat to Australia… as Jos Buttler’s side lamely fail with the bat again in India

England have finally been put out of their World Cup misery after hopes of a consolation win over Australia were dashed by another weak effort with the bat.

Realistically, they were already out. But it was in keeping with what must go down in history as one of the worst World Cup defenses in any sport that their fate was mathematically sealed by the old enemy.

The pressure already mounting on captain Jos Buttler and head coach Matthew Mott has gone one step further.

If there was a moment that summed up both this latest defeat – by 33 runs – and the unfortunate situation of the past month, it was the moment when Jos Buttler took Adam Zampa straight to Cameron Green after a long period and trudged away for a single.

The England captain has cut an increasingly worried figure here, unable to diagnose or prevent his team’s problems. His latest setback left him with a total of 106 runs at an average of 15 – truly a travesty for a player of his talents.

Australia officially ended England’s dismal campaign by recording a 33-point victory over their rivals

The defeat will increase the pressure on England captain Buttler and head coach Matthew Mott

“My own form has been the most frustrating, in a crucial position in the batting line-up,” he said. ‘To play so poorly has had a big effect on the team.

Down and out

Reigning champions England have crashed out of the World Cup after losing six of their first seven matches

How it happened:

v New Zealand – Lost by 9 wickets

against Bangladesh – Won by 137 runs

v Afghanista – Lost by 69 runs

against South Africa – Lost by 229 runs

against Sri Lanka – Lost by 9 wickets

against India – Lost by 100 runs

against Australia – Lost by 33 runs

Other fixtures: against the Netherlands (8 November), against Pakistan (11 November)

‘But it doesn’t shake my faith. You will give up on me before I give up on myself.”

Chasing 287, England lost Jonny Bairstow from the first ball, caught down the leg side of Mitchell Starc, and Joe Root soon after.

Dawid Malan and Ben Stokes cautiously reached fifty, but Malan pulled a corner from Pat Cummins, and Stokes’ paddle-swept leg-spinner Zampa hit short fine leg for 64, shouting ‘Oh no!’ while he played the trick. The phrase might as well be the team’s epitaph.

All that remains now is for England to sneak into eighth place and qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy.

To achieve even that modest goal, the Netherlands must first beat the Netherlands in Pune on Wednesday, followed by defeating Pakistan in Calcutta next Saturday.

Back at the venue where their World Cup nightmare began against New Zealand a month ago, England played as if they had learned little in the meantime. A powerplay score of 38 for two was their lowest of a competition in which they promised to attack – and failed to deliver.

Bairstow’s duck here took his range to 141 on 20, Root’s from 13 to 188 on 26. Throw in Buttler and three of the central figures in their 2019 triumph have disappeared without a trace. Stokes played carefully, but even his 112 runs in four innings chewed up 181 balls. He scores faster in Tests. It all meant England spurned the slightest of chances presented by Pakistan’s win over New Zealand earlier in the day.

Ben Stokes was caught clearing the bowling of Australian spinner Adam Zampa

England have struggled with the bat during their dismal defense of the World Cup title in India

A win for New Zealand, which would have guaranteed England’s elimination, looked certain after they reached 401 for six in Bangalore. But Fakhar Zaman hit an 81-ball 126 not out to put Pakistan ahead over DLS when the rain arrived.

England’s bowlers did their bit, with Chris Woakes removing Australia’s dangerous openers David Warner and Travis Head cheaply on his way to four wickets, and Adil Rashid was tidy again.

But they allowed tailer Zampa to bash 29, and 286 always felt too much for a side whose previous four totals were 215, 170, 156 and 129.

Above all, this game confirmed a strange stubbornness. England have now lost nine of the last ten ODIs they have hunted in, but Buttler chose to bowl, and they continue to refuse to pick Harry Brook.

England have spent much of the last eight years showing the world how to play white-ball cricket. The sad thing about this tournament is that no one in India will miss them when they fly home.

England were given a faint hope when Pakistan pulled off a miraculous victory over New Zealand