English Lions Looks Ready for Battle Royals

Who Wins World Cup 2015?

English Lions Looks Ready for Battle Royals.

The breeding ground of the game of cricket, the mother country England could be graced with the honor of world cup cricket yet. Few times they were brides mate but never became the bride. No many super stars in the team yet English squad for ICC World Cup 2015 looking strong enough for winning several matches which may drive them deep into the tournament.

Pool A: Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, England, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Scotland.

England is grouped in pool A and has to primarily lock horns with six of the above listed seven to qualify for knock out rounds. Apart from the hosts Australia and New Zealand, strong experienced Sri Lanka, youthful competent Bangladesh and not a push over Afghanistan are strong challengers’ .Even England’s neighbor would like to save their best for the battle. It appears from the matches of ongoing Carlton Mid Tri Angular ODI series –Australia, England and India that England is well prepared to take up the challenge .Bell ,Morgan , Anderson ,Broad , Finn are the key players and the team has some talented budding youth.

 

It can be seen from above that England could appear in the finals three times in 1979, 1987 and 1992 .But in all three occasions they lost . The present team does not have the luxury of top rated cricket galaxy, yet they have seasoned professionals and above average steady performers. As of 16 December 2014, the team is ranked third in the ICC Test rankings, fifth in the ODI rankings and eighth in T20 Internationalsand the Twenty20 world rankings

England introduced cricket in most of their colonies during their days of English rule but they could not rule world cricket over the past 10 events from 1975. England and Australia were the first teams to play a Test match (on 15–19 March 1877), and those two countries together with South Africa formed the Imperial Cricket Conference (predecessor of the International Cricket Council) on 15 June 1909. England and Australia also played the first One Day International (ODI) on 5 January 1971. England’s first international Twenty20 match was played on 13 June 2005 against Australia. As of 17 August 2014, England has won 339 of the 952 Test matches they have played and lost 275 (with 338 draws). England’s One Day International record includes finishing as runners-up in three Cricket World Cups (1979, 1987 and 1992), and also as runners up in the ICC Champions Trophy in 2004 and 2013. They won the ICC World Twenty20 in 2010.

England plays the first match against its traditional rival England at Iconic MCG on the first day of the tournament. They are competing well so far against Australia in Carlton Mid Tri Angular ODI. The other team ICC reigning Champion India got blown away. First match is the toughest for England but they have quality to surprise the host .England plays the second match against another host New Zealand at Wellington. England must win at least one of the two matches to get some momentum in the tournament. England will find strong Sri Lanka a very difficult team to get over in the fourth and a very youthful competitive Bangladesh on the fifth match. These two matches are very crucial for getting into the quarter finals .Sri Lanka is not only a team to qualify for the quarter finals but they are one of the contenders. Bangladesh has quality to surprise the best of the best.

English Squad: Eoin Morgan(Middlesex)(Capt), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire),James Anderson (Lancashire),Gary Ballance (Yorkshire),Ian Bell (Warwickshire),Ravi Bopara (Essex),Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire),Jos Buttler (Lancashire),StevenFinn(Middlesex),AlexHales(Nottinghamshire),ChrisJordan(Sussex),JoeRoot (Yorkshire),James Taylor (Nottinghamshire),James Tredwell (Kent) and Chris Woakes(Warwickshire)

Even the regular followers of world cricket may fail to recognize most of players of the above team .Yet they are all professionals of English cricket league and have experience of playing tough cricket day in and day out in seaming , swinging English condition . Seasoned professionals Ian Bell and Eoin Morgan are the life blood in the batting line. Emerging all-rounder Moeen Ali, Young Turks Joe Root, Gary Blanc and James Taylor are proving their merits and mettles at quality batsmen .Bopara, Butler and Broad can be classified as good enough bits and pieces all-rounders .England team is not an extra ordinary batting side. They do not possess AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, David Warner, Steve Smith, Glen Maxwell  orCorey Anderson .But they have quality silent performers to generate defendable scores at every match to place England at comfortable position . The bowling strength at both pace and spin department is strong enough to challenge the best of the best. Tall bowlers Steve Finn, Anderson and Broad can cause great headache for any batting side on juicy wickets. Chris Woakes., James Trendwell and Bopara are good support bowlers. Moeen Ali gives spinning option.

English team is above average fielding unit. Cannot conclude that England will get into top four .But they can challenge few of the tops and may upset dreams of the favorites with their die heart professional performances.