India v England: ICC World Cup 2011, Graeme Swann and Ravi Bopara look to improve
After scraping home to a narrow win against the Dutch in their opening World Cup match, the English team is looking forward to a better performance against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 in their second group game set to take place at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore.
The three time finalists were in early trouble after conceding a score of 292 against the minnows, they were under the pump of a classy century by Ryan ten Doeschate and only a professional batting performance led by skipper, Andrew Strauss, and finished
by Ravi Bopara and Paul Collingwood took them through to a face saving win under the lights at Nagpur.
Bopara thinks that the result against the Dutch was now out of the way and the team was looking forward to an improved show in what is set to be their toughest group match against co-hosts and firm favourites, India.
The right handed batsmen of Indian origin is glad to start in the event and thinks that he should be making more of his opportunities as the tournament provides him a chance to cement his spot in the One Day International (ODI) team.
Bopara is in competition with left arm spinning all rounder Michael Yardy, but thinks that his experience in Indian conditions through two seasons of the Indian Premier League is set to hold him in good stead.
"I have got two opportunities so far, one in the warm-up game and then in the opening match. I haven't thought about that competition [with Yardy]. I know what the pitch is likely to do in the subcontinent. IPL has definitely made me a better player and
more confident".
On the other hand, the leading spinner in the English team Graeme Swann conceded that the fielding effort in the opening match left a lot to be desired, he blamed the situation on the soaring temperatures in Nagpur, which had an adverse affect on the players,
who were coping with extreme cold in England on their way to the tournament.
Swann himself dropped a sitter at the closing stages of the Dutch innings, he stated that he wanted to get off the park in a jiffy yet the 50 overs seemed like an eternity in those conditions.
"We will need to raise our standards, particularly in the field because, let's face it, we were like a bunch of schoolboys", said Swann. “After 20 overs I looked up at the board desperate for it to be 45 overs gone, because I was absolutely cooked”.
However, Swann was the pick of the bowlers, claiming two wickets and conceding a mere 35 runs. The rest of the English bowlers endured a pasting with the leader of the pack James Anderson going wicket-less for 72 runs off his quota of overs.
Meanwhile, England would have to improve a great deal if they are to challenge the might of India in their own conditions, the Men in Blue have been in great form off late and signaled their title claims with a one sided win over http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747.
The real challenge for Strauss and his men would be to counter the blazing bats of the Indians, led by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Virender-Sehwag-c95429, who scored a breath taking 175 on the opening day of the tournament.
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