England is a side which has some stars in the ranks but could
be considered as one of the weaker sides in the competition. It would certainly rely on the efforts of these key players to steer the team through to a victory. The absence of Marcus Trescothick would certainly hurt the side as the left arm opener had proved to be match winner on many occasions in the past but the side has found Strauss who could replace Trescothick to some extent.
But given the conditions which are expected to be dry and the pitches which are going to be on the slower sides, teams fielding spinners could certainly fancy their chance against a team like England which is a bit vulnerable when it comes to playing spin bowling!
Team
Michael Vaughan (captain), Andrew Flintoff, Andrew Strauss, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Paul Collingwood, Jamie Dalrymple, Ed Joyce, Jon Lewis, Sajid Mahmood, Paul Nixon, Monty Panesar, Liam Plunkett, James Anderson.
Strengths- A decent batting order with allrounders
Weakness- Absence of quality seamers and quality one day international players
Core
Michael Vaughan
A good opening batsman in the test matches, he has also been opening for the one day format without much success. He has been bogged down by injuries off late and is making a comeback as a result he might a bit short of match practice. A solid batsman, he could provide the start that could propel the team to a big total.
Andrew ‘Freddy’ Flintoff
The Goliath and the ‘Danny K’ of the English side, he is a one man army by himself. A brute with the willow, he can clear the boundary of any ground with ease with his power and timing. A good bowler he has the knack of bowling some crucial spells and picking up wickets.
Remove Flintoff from the English side and it appears to be a team of five or six members! I guess that says it all!
Kevin Pietersen
An exceptionally talented batsman and a safe fielder, Kevin Pietersen or KP as he is popularly known is one the most valued assets for the English team. An naturally aggressive batsman, he can take the attack to any opposition at will. A strong on side player, he likes to dominate the bowling attack by his stroke play and gifted timing.
Paul Collingwood
A solid middle order batsman, he is the anchor as far the English team is concerned. A lot would depend on the way Collingwood adapts and paces his innings in the competition. He is also a part time medium pace bowler which makes a very handy all rounder in the English side.
Monty Panesar
The ‘find’ of the English team, Monty is the first Sikh to play
for England. A supremely talented left arm spinner, he has shown that he can provide the breakthroughs at crucial junctures in the game with his loopy and turning deliveries. The long fingers of his left arm not only help him grip the ball better but also make his bowling make up for his not so great fielding.
James Anderson
Recalled to the English side, this youngster announced his arrival with lots of promise. Anderson bowls at a decent pace and swings the cricket ball both ways. His concern is the predictable nature of his bowling which makes him expensive during the end over despite his yorkers and good slower deliveries!
A decent team on paper, opposition would not worry too much againt England which could make them a dangerous side! On a given day, the side with its all stars could come down heavy but nevertheless a slightly weak team.
In the recently concluded All India Bottlers Meet in Bangalore Coke gave impressions of distancing itself from Carbonated Soft driks (CSD) in the future. Sounds surprising? Seems to be true, for, Coke has given hints of shedding its fizzy image not only in the US but also in India.
gone as the company is seriously considering overhauling its portfolio. The Company has begun to talk about Milk, milk based products, coffee based flavors, ice cream colas and Indianised drinks like Aam panna etc.
The recent launch of Sony�s Universal Remote Control (URC) is a step towards the future of entertainment. Well, this is not just an ordinary remote but one that is like an orifice to multiple entertainment sources!
Voted the most popular South African Cricketer, this man is full of energy both off the field and on the field. He has troubled many a quality batsmen around the world with his pace bowling. A natural athlete, he is one bowler to watch out in this World Cup.
If we want a team that could upset the World Champions and give them a run for their money then it is got to be New Zealand! Probably the most underwritten side in the tournament, the Kiwis are one of the most competitive sides. Known for the sheer depth of talent, it won’t be fair to call their strike bowlers- all rounders!
hopes and aspirations of the side which would go into the tournament without a key player- Nathan Astle who retired recently. Despite his absence, the team has found
Ross Taylor and Peter Fulton who have shown great promise and have lent solidity to the batting lineup apart from instilling the faith in the team that they can win as a unit!
