Time to go.

[Ernest]

They are as good as their ranking - England not making the semies can't be a surprise, before the England win in Austraia, England were ranked#8 in the World.

England have never won the World Cup, although they used to be a world force in ODI's, but that was a long time ago.

Like I said earlier central contracts are jading some players, while others are tied to England playing no cricket.

I don't like one day cricket, but I was hoping England would have at least put a fight up, or even win the WC - to make up for the 5-0 drubbing in the Ashes.

[Quagmire]

Well the problem with the win in Australia was that it gave people too high of an expectation that the English team was going to do well. England played 10 matches in the CB series and won 5, only winning 50% of their matches is not good enough, in the same tournament Australia won 7 out of 10 and lost the tournament.

Well England in the last few years have not been very impressive in ODI's compared to there test form.

2007 - 18 matches, 9 wins, 9 losses, 50%, Hs 292, LS 110, MC 318, LC 143, Bat 28.0, Bowl 29.7
2006 - 20 matches, 5 wins, 14 losses, 1 NR, 26%, Hs 321, LS 125, MC 324, LC 154, Bat 27.4, Bowl 38.5
2005 - 22 matches, 8 wins, 10 losses, 2 Ties, 2 NR, 45%, Hs 391, LS 183, MC 353, LC 175, Bat 33.4, Bowl 32.6

NR - No Result
Hs - Highscore
Ls - Lowest Score
MC - Most Conceded
LC - Lowest Conceded
Bat - Average runs per wicket when batting
Bowl - Average runs per wicket when bowling

[south beds mikey]

I'm with you Quaggy. It would be unreasonable to expect England to get to the semis. The upsetting thing is despite all the results going our way and giving us a chance of qualification we didn't deserve when the crunch game came we didn't even look like coming close to being competetive. Andrew Hall is a decent player but would any other side let him dominate with 5 wickets? Our bowling was abject and got what it deserved; eliminaion.

[acker]

So with all these outs whats the shell of the team left to build on for the next World Cup in 2010

Bell
Pieterson
Panesar
Anderson
Mahmood

6 new players to find ? Does Geraint or Simon Jones get a look in. Does Harmison humbly come back ?

[Karthik]

The problem with England is losing quick wickets.They either get of to a poor start or collapse towards the end.In yesterday's match they had both.Three wickets fell quickly.And just when Collingwood and Strauss looked steady to rebuild the innings,both of them got out quickly and dropped from 111-3 to 154-10.Thank goodness for Bopara otherwise they would have been lower down.

[cantplaycantalk]

The core would be

Strauss
Bell
Peiterson
Collingwood
Bopara
Flintoff
Anderson
Panesar

Strauss - Can play ODI's has been out of form recently but form is temporary
Bell - Not sure but too early to bin him he has talent
Peiterson - We need him to fit into the team and not disrupt it
Collingwood - A very classy ODI batsman, if Colly and Peiterson ever fire in the same ODI we will make a big score.
Bopara - Has shown enough and more definately one for the future.
Flintoff - Out of form with the bat but the best ODI bowler England have at the moment
Anderson - Needs experience but at least offers more control than Mahmood
Panesar - Unless Rashid comes through very quickly then every team needs a quality spinner and Panesar is that, needs experience and perhaps a little more variation.

For the dead and gone

Vaughan - Has never looked a ODI player, his captaincy has not been convincing either, I would make a clean break and retire him from both forms.
Nixon - Harsh on the guy as he has been one of the better players, but it is time to bring in the youngsters and see how they go.
Mahmood - Has taken wickets but really done so without looking like a ODI bowler, try Plunkett or Broad for a longer run or if fit Simon Jones.

For the replacements I guess we need to look at the young Surrey opener, he is destructive and would be a good foil to Strauss at the top of the order, we should then look at both Davies and Mustard as far as keepers go and see if either of them rises to the international level.
For bowlers we know that both Broad and Plunkett are not only good bowlers who are still developing but also decent batsmen. Same goes for Adil Rashid if he has another good season.

My ODI team for the first match of the season

Benning
Strauss
Peiterson
Collingwood *
Bopara
Flintoff
Davies +
Broad
Plunkett
S Jones
Panesar

And I know that is dropping Anderson, but I would like to see both Broad and Plunkett.

[acker]

Alistair Cook still seems to be a forgotten man ? that mystifies me

Geraint Jones is a better player by far than Nixon

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

Originally Posted by pie_chucker

I have a suspicion that both Fletch and Vaughan will fall on their swords after the WC.

Not yet. They should both be resign, but while they live in this fantasy world that says everything is peachy and performance against SA was merely "average" (average ? what the hell is below average then?!?!) they'll stay rooted, possibly until we really fail at home....again.

Have noticed that in the top of english sport nobody gets sacked anymore ? I'm not on about the premiership but Andy robinson really had to plumb new depths for some time before he got sacked, Sven was allowed to resign with a suitcase fulkl of dosh a full 4 years past his sell by date, and despite the most desperate 8 months I've witnissed in english cricket but vaughan and fletch are still in charge.

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by acker

Alistair Cook still seems to be a forgotten man ? that mystifies me

Geraint Jones is a better player by far than Nixon

Cook is young and doesn't play one day cricket too well. He can do without that pressure so early in his career.

Geraint Jones scored so few runs during his last year as England keeper. Nixon isn't part of the problem. he should probably have been selected years ago if the management wanted someone of his ilk. Jones was part of the problem.

[Verso]

A poster ealier mentioned that England used to be a one day force. Is is just coincidence that it was back in the time the TEST side played ONE DAYERS?


Cook is one of our best TEST players. He should be able to adapt.

To be honest though I couldn't really care less if we can play the ONE DAY stuff........... We are second in the world in the form of cricket that actually counts to proper supporters. TESTS!!!! (the recent ashes result being just a blip).

Come next month when the windies get a pasting the WORLD CUP will be just a distan memory.