CWC: Mike Atherton claims England's 9-wicket loss to SL much more damaging than Kiwi humiliation

Former England captain Mike Atherton has claimed that Eoin Morgan's side's loss to Sri Lanka was much more damaging than their humiliation in the second Cricket World Cup pool match against co-host New Zealand.

Tim Southee claimed 7-33 and skipper Brendon McCullum blasted the fastest half-century in tournament history as New Zealand shot out England for 123 and romped home in the 13th over in a one-sided match in Wellington.

By comparison, Morgan and his team put up a better batting display against Sri Lanka at the same venue, posting 309-6, but it was not enough to avert a nine-wicket defeat, Stuff.co.nz reported.

Atherton claimed that in some ways, this was a more damaging defeat than the one against New Zealand, adding that it was possible to park the New Zealand match out of the mind; an aberration, a one-off calamity, and against one of the most fancied and confident teams in the tournament.

However, he added that the Sri Lanka match was worse. He insisted that it lasted longer and therefore England's defects were plain to see, and against a team who most would have said are slightly past their best and unfancied.

England, who registered their only win in four outings against lowly Scotland, can still progress to the quarterfinals of a tournament they have never won, but the weaknesses are too glaring for Atherton.

Atherton said that paceman James Anderson looks a shadow of his potent self, unable to swing the white Kookaburra as others have done, adding that this looks, at the moment, like a one-day tournament too far for him.

The former skipper claimed that he is not that Stuart Broad is any more incisive; between them in almost 60 overs they have taken just four wickets at 92 runs apiece, and added that this was supposed to be England's strong suit.

Morgan and his team face Bangladesh in their next Pool A match on March 9 and Atherton, who played 115 tests in the 1989-2001 period, advocated a top order re-jig.

Atherton claimed that Alex Hales must be given a go at the top of the order alongside Moeen Ali, with Ian Bell moving to first drop. He insisted that as England's World Cup hopes hang by a thread, doing nothing is not an option.