The world-renowned architects who designed the West pac Stadium in Wellington might concede that the “Cake Tin” is not their finest creation. England may wish it had never been built after a defeat to New Zealand that would have been more appropriate at Carisbrook’s “House of Pain”, in Dunedin.
The shambolic performance last week sullied the nation’s memories of the Westpac – it was the scene of one of England rugby’s finest victories when they beat New Zealand in 2003 – but the cricketers have a swift opportunity to atone against Sri Lanka on Sunday.
Steven Finn described the fixture, and England’s remaining group games, as a “quarter-final” – even though they are not yet certain of a place in the last eight – but while victory is not essential for the team’s progress, it would certainly turn their ship further from the wind.
To do so, England will need to frank some miserable form at the Westpac. England’s two other ODIs before Friday’s horror show were almost as despondent: dismissed for 130 to lose with 20 overs to spare in 2008 and shot out for just 89 in 2002 – England’s third-lowest ODI total.
There was, and still is, potential for things to get much worse for England at this World Cup but a professional victory over Scotland has got them on the board. Regardless of results, Finn will hope things are never again as bad as the two overs he sent down against New Zealand – mercilessly destroyed by Brendom McCullum, who struck 44 from 10 deliveries – and sees his 3 for 26 on Monday as a better indicator of his recent form.
“I feel like I bowled well throughout the tri-series but didn’t quite do myself justice and in the first seven overs against Australia I thought I bowled well,” Finn said. “Obviously I didn’t do myself justice in those two overs against New Zealand but throughout the trip I feel as though I’ve been bowling well and against Scotland it was pleasing to get the results that the hard work deserves.
“Bowling against Brendon McCullum is a tough gig and it’s one of those things that happened. In that situation he was always going to come hard and it seemed that everything I tried to do didn’t quite work. It was one of those days but I’ve bowled well throughout this trip and have taken wickets so I don’t feel too downhearted by it.
“It’s never happened to me before like that. Usually if I try something it works but it didn’t that day. It was one of those days and I’m obviously very disappointed, gutted and embarrassed about the way it did happen. It will happen again; someone will come that hard at us again but we’ll have to find a way of dealing with it.
“I was happy to get back on the horse against Scotland and I felt I bowled with good rhythm at a decent pace against them.”
Finn, and England, do have better memories of the Westpac to draw on. They romped to a 10-wicket victory in a T20 in 2013 with Finn conceding just 18 from his four overs. That tour saw Finn at his best, with several menacing displays, and he now feels if not back to that form, at least with his troubles of 2013-14 behind him.
“I feel normal,” Finn said. “I’ve felt normal all the time but the amount of wickets I’ve taken over here have helped get that confidence back. And just playing international cricket and being in the set-up and round the guys day in and day out helps that confidence too. To put performances in and help England win games helps that confidence as well. So I’m just a normal cricketer playing cricket now. That’s all it is.
“Everything feels fine. It feels as though everything is going the way it was for me a couple of years ago and that’s good.”
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