IT WAS with a mixture of shock and disbelief that I awoke to the news that England were on the way to a humiliating defeat in the first one-day international against India.

It wasn't the loss to a very capable Indian side that caused me to project a mouthful of shredded wheat across the room.

It was the caption that said "England are 77 for 5 needing another 311 to win!"

How on earth did that happen? I thought after thumping South Africa 4-0 in the summer we were getting better at this format. Apparently not.

England were eventually skittled for just 229, a capitulation similar to that suffered in the pantomime that was the Stanford Super Series.

You could say that the Indians are on a high after a test series win over Australia, but this wasn't just a defeat - it was a humiliation. To lose by 158 runs in a one-day game is a joke.

The only positive is that it's happened at the start of the tour and, as they say, things can only get better.

It's the first real test for Kevin Pietersen and one that he must rise to as the countdown to the Ashes continues.

Hopefully, this will be an early wake-up call and one that must be heeded to shake off the slumber KP's men seem to be in.

I know it's Children in Need day, but I don't think we need to be that charitable on the field.