ENGLAND
World Cup Stats :
Build Up to WC '15 :
England probably will not feature among your top four contenders for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. They have been ridiculed and made fun of for their inability to win the biggest prize that they founded. Their teams made it to the final in 1979, 1987 and 1992 but were left high and dry by their rivals. The ICC World Twenty20 2010 crown broke their jinx of not winning ICC events but that is hardly a compensation for their failure in the World Cup.
Their build-up to the 2015 event has been a rough ride, to say the least. Apart from comprehensive defeats in successive bilateral ODI series, they had to sack their under-performing captain Alastair Cook and replaced him with Eoin Morgan a few weeks before the competition. Under a new leader and with a bunch of greenhorns who have sparkled only sporadically over the past year, England have to shrug off the negativity surrounding them. Defeat in the opening match of the tri-series in Australia, featuring two of the strongest contenders, has not added to their pre-World Cup woes.
Group: Pool A
Captain: Eoin Morgan
Strengths:
The middle and lower-order batting has bailed England out repeatedly. Joe Root and Jos Buttler bolster their often flagging batting displays, but the rise of allrounder Moeen Ali as an opener and James Taylor at No. 3 has given Englands confidence a timely boost. The return of pacemen James Anderson and Stuart Broad will bring necessary experience to the bowling department, while Chris Woakes' rise has been handy.
Weakness:
Nine of the squad will be playing their maiden World Cup. The tri-nation tournament in Australia ahead of the World Cup may help settle nerves and help them address the issue of the opening combination. Cook's repeated failures, leading to his exclusion, have hampered England. Ian Bell's 187 in a recent warm-up game offered hopes of a top-order revival but Australias Mitchell Starc squashed that by reducing England to 0 for 2 in the first over at the SCG on Friday.
X-factor:
Moeen Ali edges ahead of Jos Buttler, having recently surprised many with his ability to score briskly when promoted to opener. He is also an effective offspinner, providing Eoin Morgan with a handy option. He made a strong impression during the ODI series in Sri Lanka last year when he scored his maiden ODI ton as opener and two back-to-back brisk fifties in recent warm-up games in Australia have strengthened his case.
Dark horse:
Chris Woakes is a useful death overs' bowler. Any captain would tell you that is an invaluable asset. Woakes picked a six-wicket haul against Australia in a losing cause in 2011, leaving his mark as the player of the match. But he fell off the radar because of inconsistency and a lack of pace. He returned with added yards and improved performances. Replacing the injured Broad in the side last year, Woakes became the first Englishman to collect a second six-wicket haul.
Their build-up to the 2015 event has been a rough ride, to say the least. Apart from comprehensive defeats in successive bilateral ODI series, they had to sack their under-performing captain Alastair Cook and replaced him with Eoin Morgan a few weeks before the competition. Under a new leader and with a bunch of greenhorns who have sparkled only sporadically over the past year, England have to shrug off the negativity surrounding them. Defeat in the opening match of the tri-series in Australia, featuring two of the strongest contenders, has not added to their pre-World Cup woes.
Group: Pool A
Captain: Eoin Morgan
Strengths:
The middle and lower-order batting has bailed England out repeatedly. Joe Root and Jos Buttler bolster their often flagging batting displays, but the rise of allrounder Moeen Ali as an opener and James Taylor at No. 3 has given Englands confidence a timely boost. The return of pacemen James Anderson and Stuart Broad will bring necessary experience to the bowling department, while Chris Woakes' rise has been handy.
Weakness:
Nine of the squad will be playing their maiden World Cup. The tri-nation tournament in Australia ahead of the World Cup may help settle nerves and help them address the issue of the opening combination. Cook's repeated failures, leading to his exclusion, have hampered England. Ian Bell's 187 in a recent warm-up game offered hopes of a top-order revival but Australias Mitchell Starc squashed that by reducing England to 0 for 2 in the first over at the SCG on Friday.
X-factor:
Moeen Ali edges ahead of Jos Buttler, having recently surprised many with his ability to score briskly when promoted to opener. He is also an effective offspinner, providing Eoin Morgan with a handy option. He made a strong impression during the ODI series in Sri Lanka last year when he scored his maiden ODI ton as opener and two back-to-back brisk fifties in recent warm-up games in Australia have strengthened his case.
Dark horse:
Chris Woakes is a useful death overs' bowler. Any captain would tell you that is an invaluable asset. Woakes picked a six-wicket haul against Australia in a losing cause in 2011, leaving his mark as the player of the match. But he fell off the radar because of inconsistency and a lack of pace. He returned with added yards and improved performances. Replacing the injured Broad in the side last year, Woakes became the first Englishman to collect a second six-wicket haul.
Squad for WC '15 :
Eoin Morgan (capt)
Stuart Broad Steven Finn Jos Buttler (wk) James Taylor |
Gary Ballance
Alex Hales James Tredwell Chris Woakes Chris Jordan. |
Ravi Bopara
James Anderson Joe Root Moeen Ali Ian Bell |