England Cricket Team in Need of Improvement

Not that anyone would wish that a national tragedy would come to the rescue, but effectively that's what the horrifying events have done for England's one-day team in India. With the One Day Series with India well and truly lost, England has abandoned the remaining two matches and might also pull out of the two scheduled test matches next month.

England who was 0-5 down in the seven match series were heading into a crisis and had both quick bowlers, Andrew Flintoff and Stuart Broad injured. The abandonment should at least give Kevin Pietersen and his team time to regroup and dwell on what has been a nightmare month for them.

In the latest match India stormed to a six-wicket victory with over six over's to spare and were only two more matches of inflicting a series whitewash on the tourists, to leave England facing a series whitewash. Injuries to Andrew Flintoff and Stuart Broad.

Pietersen also incurred an injury to his side after hitting an unbeaten 111 to help England reach 270 a total that many thought may be enough. In the event it was only par for the pitch as India simply took the England bowling apart and demonstrated how One Day cricket should be played.

Led by Virender Sehwag who hit a brilliant 91 off just 73 balls in a 136 run partnership with cricket legend, Sachin Tendulkar, their 20 over stay at the crease was as frightening as it was ruthless and provided India with the perfect platform to win the match. England failed miserably in the bowling attack which was all too often short and wide and lacking impact off the pitch. England must learn that you cannot bowl like that to players of the Indian openers.

England must also face criticism for the selection of their batting line up. Out went Ian Bell and his place taken as an opener by Alistair Cook, who with the best will in the world simply does not have the game for ODI's, Cook is test match opener who can play the forward defensive better than anyone, but in a game that insists on avoidance of dot balls, Cook does not fit the bill. England would have been far better off playing Luke Young in that position and his inclusion would have meant that Pietersen would have greater bowling variation.

It could even be argued that Pietersen should have opened, he is the best batsmen by far and opening would have given him more balls to hit. The worst selection however was that of Paul Collingwood at number 4. On his previous form in India, he did not justify selection in his normal position at number 6, let alone being promoted up in the order to 4. In the event he hit 40 runs off 64 balls, that is nearly 11 overs! There is no doubt that in form batsman, Owais Shah should have had the number 4 berth, but instead he was relegated to number 6 after hitting a cracking 65 in the match previously. Shah came in and scored another 66 off just 57 balls.

England must now regroup and take themselves back to the practice nets to prepare for next summer's all important Ashes series in the UK against Australia. After winning in such glory in 2005, the team have slowly been slipping backwards and defeat in Australia in 2007 saw them relinquish the Urn. If they are to regain winning ways ahead of the 2009 series lessons must be learnt from the India trip.



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