From Trent Bridge to Molineux, English cheers turn to boos

MANCHESTER, England : The cheers from ecstatic England cricket fans in Nottingham had barely quietened when, just a short drive away in Wolverhampton, the booing from the country's football supporters reached an angry crescendo.

It would be hard to imagine two more contrasting sporting performances by England's respective national teams than those produced on Tuesday.

At Trent Bridge, England delivered one of their greatest test match victories, with Jonny Bairstow smashing an astounding century off 77 balls, against New Zealand, as a second innings target of 299 was chased down in 50 exhilarating overs of attacking cricket.

A few hours later, 60 miles across the Midlands in Wolverhampton, England's football team suffered their worst home defeat in 94 years with a miserable, lifeless performance in a humiliating 4-0 loss to Hungary in the Nations League.

The contrast was particular sharp given they marked a drastic reversal in fortunes for the country's two major national teams.

England's cricket side had won just one of their last 17 tests going into this series against New Zealand, slumping down the world rankings, prompting wholesale changes with the appointment of a new managing director, coach and captain.

The football team had been enjoying a rare extended period of stability and relative success. Under manager Gareth Southgate they reached the final of Euro 2020, held last year, three years after making the semi-finals of the World Cup, their best finish since 1990.

But their performances since losing the Euro final at Wembley on penalties to Italy have gradually deteriorated and they have failed to win any of their four Nations League games, scoring just one goal.

There are mitigating circumstances that Southgate was