Worst yet to come for England’s One Day side

It’s not exactly the best kept secret that England have struggled at one day cricket for a long time now. Having never won a major one day trophy, they seem to lull from one drab series to another. Staring down the barrel the first ever 7-0 whitewash in a one day international series (albeit a completed series last winter against India could well have made this the second), it really is hard to work out how bad this current England side really are.

In truth its perhaps a little unfair to try and analyse this current crop. Devoid of Kevin Pietersen (Achilles), Stuart Broad (knee), Andrew Flintoff (sky diving), Marcus Trescothick (retired), Paul Collingwood (rested), this series really should’ve been the time to assess how good England’s second string are. All we have managed to find out is that they are not – and that’s putting it kindly.

Owais Shah has an incredible amount of talent, and has that unorthodox style that England ODI side are crying out for. But his jinx that haunts him running between the wickets seems to unsettle the rest of the batting order. Ravi Bopara, a batsman with a “high ceiling” (Andy Flower). Maybe true, but, why the England setup thought that Bopara’s poor test form would magically morph from the mediocre to acceptable through the change of format is beyond most cricket analysts. England’s batsmen seem excellent at getting starts, and even better at getting out once they seem set.

The most worrying thing of all is that Australia’s ODI side isn’t that good. Far be it for an Englishman to criticise someone else’s one day side. But Ricky Ponting and Brett Lee aside, this is a very ordinary Australian line up. If England’s batting line up is bamboozled by Nathan Hauritz, quite how they will go against Murali and Ajantha Mendis is a train crash that – reluctantly – I’d like to see. Australia are a well drilled side, full of good players, but even they could pale in comparison compared to the better sides on offer in South Africa starting next week.

And even moving down the England order, things don’t get any better. Like the batting, England’s attack is all too honest. Look around all the ODI attacks around the world, Australia – Lee, South Africa – Steyn, Sri Lanka – Malinga, Murali, Mendis, India – Khan, England – … Swann, er… Bresnan. As an opposition batsman, there’s nothing about England’s attack to fear. Anderson on his day is good, but can go round the park, Sidebottom honest, Bresnan workman, Swann orthodox, I could go on.

The real worry for England is that this isn’t bad selection (well ignore not picking Jonathan Trott for the moment). This is, injuries aside, the best side England have. And in truth its woeful. Strauss, the best player in this side by a distance, doesn’t have another gear. Hence, when getting himself in for 50 or 60, gets out trying to kick on. The collapse, afterwards, is all too inevitable. Without Kevin Pietersen to cover over the cracks, England aren’t just bad, they’re an embarrassment.

On the eve of the champions trophy, Sunday’s final game against will most likely end with Australia winning the series 7-0. England don’t have any time to relax, onto South Africa for the Champions Trophy where, seemingly, the worst is yet to come.

By Bob Bamber

September 18, 2009