England vs Australia, 1st ODI, Southampton – The England Squad
It’s time to rekindle the oldest rivalry in world cricket. However, there is more to the 5 match ODI series between England and Australia than the age old Ashes battle. England, who have for years been on the receiving end, in the modern era at least, managed to get a big win against their more accomplished opponents in the final of Twenty20 World Cup. The final, which was dubbed as the mini Ashes, turned out to be a comprehensive win for England, who had in the past managed to make it to 3 World Cup finals (in the 50 over version), but never managed to cross the final hurdle. This time though, they were finally able to overcome their demons. Although it was T20, but still, a world championship is something to be proud of. And what better way to do so than to beat their fiercest rivals in the final.
All of that is in the past now, but rest assured that Australia will not have forgotten about that final just yet. Revenge is something the Aussies thrive on. Who can forget the famous Ashes at the end of 2006, when Australia were waiting for England for some payback, having lost the Ashes to them in the previous year? And what revenge it was; a 5 nil whitewash was the perfect way to hit back.
Now even though it’s not the Ashes on the line, Australia’s pride certainly is. If one even lets all of that go, any match between the two is one to watch out for; never is it dull on action.
The last time these 2 teams met in an ODI series, which was a 7 match one back in September last year, Australia won the series 6-1. However, by no means is this one going to be as one-sided as that. England have certainly come a long way since then. A number of new introductions coupled with old heads has made them a force to be reckoned with in International cricket.
Players like Eoin Morgan and Craig Kieswetter have certainly added value to the England team. Morgan started his career with Ireland; a number of sterling performances earned him an England call up. And boy did he make the most of it. He has been a model of consistency for England, one key factor missing in the set up. His ability to read and assess the match situation is phenomenal. Morgan has the uncanny knack of being able to finish matches with great effect without letting any sort of pressure get to him. His inventive game-play is simply brilliant.
The other key man making an impression is the opener Kieswetter; in a way he is something of an all rounder. The right handed batsman is incredibly confident and has all the strokes in the book. Being able to stand up to any attack is an ability that has been his forte till now. In the T20 World Cup, he showed that be it Australia or Bangladesh, he treats the bowling on merit and plays all his shots. That had been a problem for England: the mental block to freeze on big occasions is something that has held them back for years. He is a wicketkeeper as well, adding value to the side, he is safe as a house behind the stumps.
Another new man in is Michael Lumb. The left hander has formed a formidable opening partnership alongside Kieswetter. Lumb, like his partner, has all the shots, but his cover drives and cuts are the ones that get him most of the runs. Having mentioned all 3 players, one interesting fact to be considered here is that neither of them is an England born player. The 2 openers are from South Africa, and Morgan is from Ireland. Many in the media did make a meal of the matter, by saying England won the T20 world cup through foreign imports. Well if it is in the law, it is fair, isn’t it?
Apart from these new names, we have Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, while Strauss has hit some form after coming back in the team (after the T20 break). England bowling has also hit a purple patch; Swann has turned into an established off spinner, and James Anderson seems to be coming back to his best.
Thus, England does look set to give Australia a run for their money in the 5 match series. The 20 over champions will have all the traps set, but they shouldn’t forget it’s the 50 over world champions that they are facing, so no stones should be left unturned.
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