Trott: 'It's not all doom and gloom after Ireland loss'

(PA)

England's own new record holder yesterday offered hope of a revival in the World Cup.

Jonathan Trott gave every indication that the team had put Ireland and all that behind them and were ready for the whole new challenge that South Africa will provide tomorrow in Group B in Chennai.

"You have to realise we are in a World Cup, three games to go, it is not all doom and gloom," he said. "Obviously we would have liked to have won the game, being in the position we were, and were very disappointed. But we have three very winnable games ahead of us and a huge chance to qualify for the quarters and to peak at the right time and towards the important time."

The shock three-wicket defeat on Wednesday, when Ireland chased 328 to win after being 111 for 5, may have scarred England irretrievably in this competition, but they seemed both relaxed and intense at training yesterday. Trott said: "Of course it was unexpected. You have the teams you are expected to beat. Obviously the Test-playing nations you are expected to have good battles against, and win all the others.

"So to lose against a team like Ireland – who played really well towards the end of their batting innings – was very unexpected, but a good wake-up call for the team. We now know what lies ahead of us and the job in hand, and what we have to do to be able to progress."

To qualify for the quarter-finals, England need to win two of their remaining three games. A start against South Africa would ease their passage, with Bangladesh and West Indies to come.

For his part, Trott is again in form, and his 92 against Ireland made him a record holder. It got lost in the tumult of Kevin O'Brien's landmark innings of 113 from 63 balls, but Trott reached 1,000 ODI runs in his 21st innings, previously achieved only by Viv Richards and Kevin Pietersen.

Chennai Details

Probable teams

England: A J Strauss (capt), K P Pietersen, I J L Trott, I R Bell,P D Collingwood, M J Prior (wkt), M J Yardy, T T Bresnan, S C J Broad, G P Swann, J M Anderson.

South Africa: G C Smith (capt), H M Amla, J H Kallis, AB de Villiers,J P Duminy, F du Plessis, M N Wyk (wkt), R J Peterson, M Morkel,D W Steyn, Imran Tahir.

TV: 3.30am - noon, Sky Sports 2

Highlights: BBC 2 11pm - midnight

Weather: Cool with clear skies, with a maximum temperature of 31C