England has some more hurdles to cross, before becoming the super power of cricket – Part 2
Continued from the previous part …
The only big competitor for England in Test cricket is likely to be South Africa, as no other team seems to be a formidable match for the two sides in the longest format.
However, the next challenge for England should be to improve in limited overs cricket. The Poms were completely outplayed in the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625 Cricket World Cup 2011 and were not as competetive as they should have been.
If we monitor the performance of some of the great teams of the past, we will notice that the great West Indian team of the 70s and 80s, and the mighty Australians of the 90s and 2000s were equally devastating in all the formats of the game; the same cannot be said about the present English team.
Cricket analysts around the world are criticizing http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758. They would have to do so, if Andrew Strauss and company want to be called the true champions of Test cricket.
Ironically, England is going to tour all the three major Asian team in the coming one year. It is not going to be easy for England to beat the Asian http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 for that matter.
However, Botham is extremely confident of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013’s ability and his argument makes a lot of sense as almost all the England batsmen and bowlers are rated amongst the best in the business.
The biggest strength of the current English team is the fact that it does not rely on any individual. They are a team and they perform like one. None of the English players were out of form in the series against India and all of them contributed to their team’s success.
Botham said, "They are the best in the world. In batting, four of the England players are in the top 10 now. You've got Bell and Cook equal third, you've got Trott at six and you've got Pietersen at eight. In the bowling department in the top 11 we have five; Anderson second, Swann third, Broad fifth, Tremlett 10th and Bresnan's shot up to 11th. That's why they're the best side in the world."
Botham also gives credit to the England coach, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Andrew-Flower-c44362, who has done a remarkable job with the English side. The former all-rounder feels that the English cricket officials should retain Flower at any cost.
“Please don't let him go anywhere else. We need him. He is the man that steers the whole ship. The captain does his bit, but as a partnership they're excellent," he added.
England is no doubt a formidable unit in International cricket at the moment but they still have to cross some hurdles before a cricket analyst can compare http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AJ-Strauss-c964 and company with some of the great teams of the past. However, it is fascinating for a cricket fan to see a new emerging super power of sport.
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