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England have played most of their recent cricket in Australia. It will all boil down to how quickly they can adjust to the conditions in the subcontinent, writes
Sunil Narula Stuart Broad is no longer the same raw bowler who was spanked for six sixes in an over by Yuvraj Singh on a cold September evening in Durban in 2007. He has matured. That game of the inaugural T20 World Cup is now a distant, faraway memory. In fact, Broad is now one of the more dependable and consistent performers in the England line-up. Like Broad, England, too, have matured. They have had enough of losing, it appears, and really turned the corner when they won the last T20 World Cup in the Caribbean, downing Australia in the final. Admittedly, this will be a slightly different format from T20. But Andrew Strauss as captain and Andy Flower as coach have instilled a lot of confidence and belief in this side. The team has a settled look about it and it will surely get into the quarter-finals of this World Cup from Group B. It is a bit strange that England — who were hosts for the first three World Cups in 1975, 1979 and 1983 (and again in 1999) — have never won this title. They have come close but have been unable to wrap their fingers around the Cup. They have played three finals as well — in 1979, 1987 and 1992 — and lost them all. Strauss and his men will like to change that this time but frankly, it is looking a bit out of reach for them. England have played most of their recent cricket in Australia and it will be a massive switch for them on pitches of the subcontinent, where as it is they do not have a great record. ADAPT. That will be the operative word for them once they land in these parts. It will all boil down to how quickly they can adjust to the conditions here (The Australians will have to adapt as well, but they have won here before, and are far better at adapting fast than England). Like all other teams, England, too, have selected more than a few spinners. Graeme Swann, Michael Yardy and James Tredwell are all good spinners and at least the first two will have a role to play here. But more than that, it will be England’s ability to handle spin themselves that will decide their fate. In the past, they have been found wanting in that department. This time around, they have some men in form (Kevin Peitersen, Ian Bell, Jonathan Trott and skipper Strauss himself) and will look to put up big totals on the board. But the thing to worry is that England are being considered a strong team this time because of their impressive show in the Ashes. They still haven’t done the same in the one-dayers. They have the players to do it though. England have chosen a strong bunch of fast bowlers as well; all of whom are capable of firing in the yorkers at the death. Ajmal Shahzad and Tim Bresnan are both good at that. James Anderson and Broad are quite capable with both conventional and reverse swing. They have brought back wicket-keeper Matt Prior (after dropping Steve Davies) to give more muscle to their batting, and have placed their faith in the experience of Paul Collingwood, despite his recent mediocre form. But the players to watch out for England will, of course, be Kevin Pietersen and Jonathan Trot with the bat. And James Anderson with the ball. The charismatic KP is a game-changer. Ever since relinquishing captaincy, he has concentrated more on his batting, and on his day, can take the match away from the opposition very quickly. KP, of course, has his
own unique repertoire of shots, none more bizarre and effective than
the switch-hit that he cleverly invented and has used to perfection.
The first time he tried that outrageous shot in a match was against
Sri Lanka’s Muralitharan. The ball sailed over the Trot, too, has been in awesome form in the recent ODI series in Australia and England will look to him to anchor the innings (with the likes of Bell, Strauss and Morgan playing around him). Like other teams, England, too, have some concerns with injuries (Graeme Swann, Paul Collingwood, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad are all on that list). The team’s fortunes will hinge on how quickly these players can get back to full fitness. Already injury has taken away one gifted player from this squad. Eoin Morgan would really have been the right batsman to come in down the order and give a phillip to the run rate in the death overs. But he fractured his finger in the recent matches in Australia and has been ruled out of the World Cup. It is a big blow for the team Morgan’s place has gone to Ravi Bopara, who is a talented player, though not in Morgan’s class. In fact, Bopara, who is the sole player of Asian origin in the England side, had gone off to play league cricket in South Africa almost sure in his mind that this World Cup will be out of his reach. But Morgan’s injury has given Bopara another chance to showcase his batting skills on the biggest stage possible. A strong showing here can see him cement his place in the English side. Come to think of it, this surfeit of cricket in different parts of the world has taken its toll on the players. This hectic international scheduling just ahead of the World Cup has robbed some players of a chance to play in this mega event. Australia have lost the dependable Mike Hussey and spinner Nathan Hauritz. India will have to do without Praveen Kumar. Morgan’s fractured finger has ruled him out as well. And it will not be surprising if some more players fall to last minute injuries. It’s some food for thought for the ICC to limit this unchecked growth of matches all around. As for England, in the past they have flattered to deceive. The last push which takes champions over the line has been missing on many occasions. Andrew Strauss will like to provide that impetus that can take them over the line in crunch situations. Recently after the high of the Ashes, England have been roundly thrashed in the seven-match ODI series by Australia and this surely cannot help the morale of the team. Andrew Strauss and his men will have to push back the memory of that loss in the ODI series in Australia and concentrate hard on coming to terms with the peculiar conditions of the subcontinent. England are well-balanced, with a strong captain and a smart coach. They know only too well that they have never won the World Cup, and want it desperately. But the subcontinental conditions may prove insurmountable for them. Verdict: Route to last eight almost secure. Anything beyond that will depend on their ability to adapt to alien conditions.
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