Are there any words more appealing to the ears of England fans than ‘seven match one-day series’? Add to that the word ‘away’ and they descend into a state of slavering fervour. The anticipation of so many chipped catches to mid-on as the run-rate climbs is enough to get anyone rubbing their hands together with wide-eyed enthusiasm.

England’s last seven match one-day tour of India was a roaring success where they explored just about every possible way of losing a match.

In the first two matches, they reduced India to 80 for five and 92 for five before allowing them to recover. In the third match, they did it the other way round, saving their best cricket for when all seemed lost – which of course it was. At 100 for six chasing 295, Paul Collingwood hit an inspired 93 off 85 balls, as England fell 50 runs short.

The fourth match was what you would probably call a bog-standard loss as they made insufficient runs and failed to defend them. But in the fifth match at Guwahati, England struck their first blow. The pitch was deemed unfit for cricket and the match abandoned. High-fives all round.

With the whitewash neatly evaded, England went to Jamshedpur with renewed confidence. This confidence was unexpectedly justified and they won. The thought that maybe even India had become a little bit bored of winning one-day matches against England never entered anybody’s head for a moment. India then won the seventh match, for a 5-1 victory.

The seven match series is the truest test of how the English consider the 50-over format. Players, supporters and press just can’t seem to maintain interest for that long. It’s just the way it is and is perhaps also why England will always be a bit duff at this form of the game.

See King Cricket’s regular blog at www.kingcricket.co.uk. King Cricket is a cult figure in the world of cricket blogs and was TWC’s first Best-of-blogs winner in April 2008.