Re: WAT Journalist


As I sit here the world cup approaches, England a team that in the past 18 months have seen euphoria, disappointment, relief, a lack of met expectations, and total destruction at the hands of the Australians. But finally England came too the party in late January and early February, winning the commonwealth bank series, comfortably against the Aussies even after losing half the games in the tournament. This included demoralising loses of 9 wickets, 8 wickets and an agonising close match of a 4 wickets, (in which a decision to give Mike Hussey not out caught behind changed the course of the match). They picked them selves up and with the help of Paul Collingwood managed to change it round and became the first team to win the commonwealth title. But can England really win the most prestigious one day cricket tournament, and become world champions for the first time ever?

Consistency

To win England have to produce consistent team and individual performances, something they hardly managed during last summer. Before Ed Joyce’s commanding hundred in Perth, an England player had not scored a one day hundred since Marcus Trescothick’s 121 at Headingly on the 1st of July, that’s 7 months and 1 day without a century and in that time we played 15 ODI matches without a century and in that time we only won 4, and, (three of them chasing below 250). This shows without hundreds consistently from the top order we will be unable to make a mark on the competition. Also bowling is important not only to be economical but the consistency of taking wickets at crucial times, as the best way too stop them scoring runs is too get them out. England’s bowling averages:

Freddie Flintoff 26.41/ Monty Panesar37.88/ Paul Collingwood /36.79 Sajid Mahmood 41.38

Liam Plunkett 35.82/ James Anderson 26.51/Jon Lewis 25.70



This shows England defiantly have the potential to be a very strong bowling side taking wickets regularly; this can become useful if England are not as strong with the bat throughout the competition. The bowling may then swing a few matches in their way but economy rates must come down with most players as you know can not take wickets without pressure. So if England can become consistent in putting the ball in the right areas they will have chance of bowling out any side in the tournament.





Kevin Pietersen

ODIs,

A fine batting average of 56.65 - with a strike rate of 94.90.

A record which speaks for it self, even on his off days he can produce good looking 40’s, and can be one of the most destructive batsman in world cricket. He puts the ball in unbelievable areas, but can also be very technically correct in his approach, but not only that he breaths confidence, bordering on arrogance. Self belief bordering on big headiness, but this can be so beneficial to the England team as personality’s like that can lift a team and restore the same confidence into the team. Furthermore his breath taking innings can do exactly the same. But his problem is too not convert good starts into hundreds, and a 50 or 100 from Pietersen (he has 3 hundreds and 11 50’s but still manages to average 50) could be the difference between losing and winning. But if he can mature and do this then we could defiantly have the player of the tournament, wearing England colours.

Andrew Flintoff

A batting average of 33.52, with a strike rate of 88.33.

Andrew Flintoff has also took 122 international wicket, at an average of 26.41 - his strike rate is 26.41.



Andrew Flintoff is the talisman of the England team a man to lift the team at any point with both bat or ball, at hand he can be unstoppable if he gets going, by far he is England’s best bowler. An economical wicket taker and almost always is the man to cause an innings collapse, or to stop the rot when boundary’s are far too easy too come by. When Flintoff gets going he can be one of the most destructive batsman in the world (being England’s most prolific six hitter ever with over 72 sixes in O D Is ) , but he has struggled for form lately with the bat only churning out 3 50’s on tour (not good enough by his standards even if the team is Australia), though form is temporary and class is permanent. A little form must be round the corner, but this is if Flintoff is not hindered by injury something that over the last year has kept him from playing for England. But he has the potential to be England’s best ever ODI bowler and could live up too the title of the “next Ian Botham “ Bringing home a trophy which has always eluded England cricket team.



Paul Collingwood

ODIs

Paul Collinwood averages 34.05 with the bat - but also has come on as a bowler, with 58 wickets, with a strike rate of 42.22.


Collingwood really has shown how important he is to the England one day squad. In the finals of the commonwealth bank series, showed how it important it is too bat through the innings and if you get a start make it count. He shows the importance to work the ball into gaps running 1’s and 2’s too keep the score board ticking, he also has shown himself to be a good partner for a smasher, as he has a knack of shielding them from the best bowlers when struggling, but not slowing down the run rate. However when the pinch hitter is in form he continually gets on with his own business not trying to join in (unless needed), and keeps them on strike. This is a true reflection of the man’s temperament easy going but a fighter.

Furthermore with the ball he has shown to be a reasonable 5th bowler with his medium pace he can steal a wicket or two but importantly bowls cleverly varying the pace, to be quiet economical on slow pitches, (something quiet useful on the new West Indian pitches, that believed to spin). Though with his fielding he offers a wicket a game, he is an energetic, world class fielder. Especially good at cover point, but he can lift the team with a wicket taking piece of fielding, shown in the commonwealth series with the run out of Clarke and the catch of the bowling of Mahmood to get rid of Hayden, in the two finals. An aspect of the game witch can save up too 40 runs, and to win the world cup normally the team with the best fielders have always come close. This is what the difference is between South Africa and Australia to the rest of the world.

Michel Vaughan’s Captaincy


As a batsman in O D I’s he has never really excelled, with no hundreds next to his name, he will never be considered a gem of a player but his captaincy is invaluable.

The cool calm head, among outstanding tactical knowledge, shown highly in the test match arena, but also can be transferred to the one day arena when necessary. His impact on the team was shown, at high impact when he turned up around the England dressing room in the commonwealth bank series, the team began to win games no coincidence at all. Definitely one player England can afford carrying, in the batting order. (Though on his day can be classy and accompany the best players with special timing especially through the covers and aerial over mid-wicket). Calm, cool, collected and I cannot see England win the tournament without Vaughan at the helm, so come on England pray his knee holds up 12 games if England get too the final.

Overall, if England can be consistent especially the key players, but the rest of the team stand up. They manage to hold their nerves, scrap for their nation, and they may just get to the semis where literally anything can happen.

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Finally England have risen from the ashes.