Vaughan:England Can Still Win Cricket World Cup..

[Ernest]

Michael Vaughan still thinks England can win the 'Cricket World Cup'despite this poor showing in Pakistan.

This is not a one off, England struggled against the West Indies at home not long ago, so I can't see where he gets his optimism from.

Full Strory .here.

[Maranello]

Originally Posted by Ernest

This is not a one off, England struggled against the West Indies at home not long ago, so I can't see where he gets his optimism from

But they did reach the final of the ICCCT! And they were as good as the world champions (Australia) in the ODIs this summer. When England have all their key players, they can be a very good ODI team.

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Maranello

But they did reach the final of the ICCCT!

Oh that final - how it still pains seeing England drifting out of that game, and Michael Vaughan never even used his last option - Giles.

Yes we did well against Australia even par if you count the 20/20 game, but look at England in the team rankings, and this Pakistan series is not over with yet.

[smickel]

I voted yes, because I think it is possible, but not likely. I think the World Cup final will be between Australia and India again. Only this time I think it will be a lot closer than last time.

[Collyisamackem]

I'd never say no, but Australia, South Africa, India and Pakistan are definitely ahead of us right now.

[greg]

We have a chance because the pitches will favour our bowling attack more than any pitches in Pakistan do,also any side with Trescothick,Pietersen and Flintoff in it would have a chance in any game as all three are potential matchwinners in a one day game.
Don't think we will win it but i feel we will do better than many people think.

[Rachael]

The England ODI side is rather like Sven's soccer side: could have all the right elements and looks, on paper, as if it ought to carry all before it... but both governing bodies must be desperately concerned that visible signs of the sides punching at or above their weight...

Some allowance has to be made for the fact that some of the bowlers are relative novices: Simon Jones is my tip to be the best English bowler (Test or ODI) of his generation... but his ODI experience is virtually non-existent; Harmison has more caps... but the sort of variation that he needs is something fairly new to his game: geat slower ball at Edgbaston last summer... but not a delivery he appears able to reproduce with the consistency of (say) Shoaib Akhtar's slower ball; at least two from Tremlett, Plunkett and Anderson are likely to be involved... yet the two most likely to succeed (unless Anderson really does arise again) have virtually no experience whatsoever.

Of course... inexperience doesn't entirely wash when it comes to the batsmen: the current weakest ODI link (Vaughan) has stacks of experience.. he just hasn't done anything liek as much with it as Tresco has done. That said.. there's comparatively little ODI experience to share around between Strauss, Pietersen, Bell, Prior, Solanki, Prior and Geraint Jones...

I think it will boil down to the pitches: if they are sporting enough for the likes of Harmison, Jones, Tremlett, Plunkett and Flintoff to be a real handful (quite a quintet, that) then I can't see anyone even getting close to matching the pressure England could exert (you could see wickets falling regularly and typical totals of < 220).... but if the tracks are such that you might as well bowl Collingwood and Bell as bowl Flintoff and Harmison.... then you'll be looking at routine 280+ scores and I just can't see much point in England even turning up.

[Kirsty Harris]

I've opted for not sure, because the bowling worries me a bit - but England do have some fine players in their One Day side, and if the bowling comes together, we will have a chance.

[Vrock]

I agree Kirsty, England have been mixing and matching the bowling in ODI's a bit. Everyone is saying that England should try and get an ODI side fixed for the World Cup but we were using Tremlett, also Simon Jones, but they are both injured. Plunkett is looking good but I wouldn't have Harmison in the side, he just isn't suited IMO. Batting wise we are just not consistent enough, although I think KP has a lot of influence on whether we get a big score as it gives the team confidence if he gets a fair few runs in very few balls.

[Colourful Chaddi]

England have one player which any team would die for in Andrew Flintoff. Freddie is capable of winning a match with both bat and ball and any team would love to have him in the team but the reason England are not as strong as other team is they don't have a good bowling attack. Barring Freddie the rest of the bowlers are pretty much in-effective at getting wickets reguarly in ODI matches.

England has a strong batting line up on paper with Trescothick, KP, Struuas, Freddie and Collingwood, all capable of scoring big and fast. One improvement in the batting line-up for England would be to have a batsmen who could be able to play the anchoring role. Someone who is capable of rotating the strike and allowing the other batsmen to play around him, the role of Rahul Dravid in the Indian team. The batsmen who is most suited to this role is the captain Michael Vaughan, but in my opinon he is a terrible ODI batsmen. If Vaughan stops kidding himself that he can bat Like Jayasuriya and starts playing the anchoring role, only then will England have a good ODI side.