While England are set to battle it out with Australia over a seven match ODI series down under, there is a bigger picture to all of this. England are looking to build upon the success of a successful Ashes campaign on Australian soil, and build some momentum in the one day game. There is the matter of the World Cup coming up in February, which takes place across India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, and England will be brimming with optimism ahead of that. That is why there is an added importance to the series against Australia, who are the topped ranked one day team in the world. England have already announced their squad for the tournament, and the biggest surprise really is that Matt Prior has been called in as opener. The wicket keeper has been penciled in as Andrew Strauss’s partner at the top of the order, something which has been tried before. What is a little surprising really, is that Prior was left out of the one day squad for the matches against Australia, and so he has headed off to join them, as the selectors have put faith in them. His promotion comes at the expense of Steven Davies who has been the one day rear guard behind the stumps as well as opener. It has been almost a year since Prior has been in the one day international team. To be honest, which is what cricket punters need to look at, is that neither Davies nor Prior really look as if they are great solutions for England as ODI openers. It is a little surprise that no-one else has been able to stake a claim at the top of the order, and that the England selectors really are taking a big risk here. Chris Tremlett is the only other player on the current touring squad, to miss out on a place at the 2011 Cricket World Cup.
Prior did have a good Ashes series, putting in some impressive knocks, but having been moved around the ODI batting order before, he really has only modest averages at best. There was the option of using Eoin Morgan as wicketkeeper and drafting in another specialist batsman, but the England selectors went the other way. Luke Wright’s inclusion has raised a few eyebrows as well, as he hasn’t quite lived up to the top all rounder billing that was expected from him when first drafted into the international set up. In the bowling department, Stuart Broad, who missed most of the Ashes because of injury, has been named in the squad as he is expected to be fully fit again for the World Cup, and James Tredwell has been drafted in as England will take three spinners with them. First choice spinner Graeme Swann will go to the World Cup, even though he has picked up a bruised knee which is keeping him out of action for a couple of weeks. The addition of three spinners in the one day squad, is simply a tactical move, with spin being expected to play a big part in the conditions out in the sub-continent. It means though that England will only have four recognized seam bowlers for the tournament, Broad, James Anderson, Tim Bresnan and Ajmal Shahzad.
England haven’t won the World Cup yet, and must be in with one of their best chances now. They have been in the final twice before, losing to Australia in 1987 and against Pakistan in 1992. Even though the Australians have not been in the greatest of form, they have won the last three tournaments, and somehow they always turn into a different side where there is a gold trophy being dangled in front of them. They are worth a bet, simply because they are not in great shape at the moment, are stretched out a little bit in the betting odds. They are generally dangerous once the tournament starts, no matter what has gone on in the build up. But, they are not the favourites to win the competition, and that is because of India. Naturally being out there on their home turf, they are going to find the conditions extremely favorable. They are also a strong side, with good variety in their bowling and very strong and exciting batting line up. In many ways they will be the ones to beat, but more often than not, India simply do not perform when it comes to the big moment. They have gone in as tournament favourites before and have simply not lived up to expectation when the big event itself has rolled around. They have won the World Cup once before, back in 1983, and the fans will be hoping that the long wait will come to and end.
England are in a fairly tough group along with India and South Africa, but with four teams progressing through from the group stage, England really should be in the knockouts. England open their tournament on February 22nd against the Netherlands, and also face the West Indies, Ireland and Bangladesh in Group B. Browsing around the bookmakers, England are second favourites at the moment, and that is because of the strong 2010 they had, not losing a ODI series since 2009 (against the Aussies). So, can England fulfill some of their potential? They did it unexpectedly when they won the Twenty20 World Cup last year, and this would put a huge mark on their standing in world cricket. For too long they have been languishing in the lower regions of the ODI rankings, but maybe they can turn it around. They have a strong chance, and simply because of the price which they are at, they do represent some good value.
2011 Cricket World Cup Outright Odds
India: 7/2 at Paddy Power
England: 5/1 at Bet365
Sri Lanka: 5/1 at Totesport
South Africa: 11/2 at SkyBet
Australia: 6/1 at SportingBet
Pakistan: 10/1 at Unibet
New Zealand: 20/1 at Bet365
West Indies: 25/1 at Unibet
Bangladesh: 51/1 at Boylesports
England’s World Cup squad: Andrew Strauss (capt), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Eoin Morgan, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior (wk), Ajmal Shahzad, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell, Jonathan Trott, Luke Wright, Michael Yardy
