England go into the ICC World Cup 2019 as one of the leading favourites to win the coveted trophy. The Eoin Morgan-led side has played an excellent brand of cricket over the last few years. England’s dominance in the ODIs have largely been due to a settled unit that has boasted plenty of firepower. Since the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017, England have won a whopping six ODI series.
There is no doubt that the side will be the team to beat at home when the World Cup starts from May 30 onwards. Perhaps the biggest moment for England was against a visiting Indian team in the 3-match ODI series in July 2018. And the hosts came out strong to seal the three-match series 2-1. In both their wins, England were class ahead of India. That will gave them the intensity and belief to be strong headed.
Apart from that, the dual series win against Australia both away and home was a terrific feat.
On Wednesday, the ECB named a 15-member preliminary squad for the 2019 World Cup. They went with the same set of players who featured in the one-day internationals against West Indies earlier this year. But as per the ECB, the door for certain players aren’t closed yet. With England playing against Pakistan in an ODI series prior to the World Cup, a few players named in the squad could push for selection for the main event.
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The top ODI side also plays a 50-over match against Ireland as well. The number one ranked team in ODIs have left out Jofra Archer from their initial squad of 15 for the Cricket World Cup. The door, however, is not closed on Archer’s World Cup aspirations: he has been named in the squads for the Ireland and Pakistan series.
The in-form Sussex player can potentially be still considered for the mega event based on his performances. He has been in excellent form in the ongoing 12th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Also, players like Chris Jordan and Sam Billings could also provide a late challenge when England’s main draft is prepared ahead of the World Cup.
Morgan’s side has all the resources in hand and it’s a bit bowling heavy at the moment. But the team has all the credentials to make it large at home where conditions and the momentum will suffice them to large extent. The Three Lions are backed to excel in the World Cup and go bonkers. Here we analyse England’s preliminary World Cup squad.
England’s mix in opening presents a strong tale
The English team has the best batting unit in the world at the moment. Openers Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow provide the ultimate joy atop and are both aggressive with their intent. They deserve a special mention for being the best in business going into the World Cup. They had a terrific 2018 and amassed 1,025 and 894 runs respectively. The aggression provided by the two players makes England dominate the show from the word go.
All will depend on Roy and Bairstow’s fine understanding. The two players have thrived at home and they know the conditions in and out. They can unsettle bowlers at ease. That’s where the strength lies.
Alex Hales provides a solid back-up and he is a responsible player. Whenever he has got a chance, the player has grabbed the same. There is a sense of purpose and identity here in England’s opening ranks. Hales scored a sublime 457 runs in 10 matches last year. That’s a strong number for a back-up option.
So the mix is well sought by the selectors here and that makes the hosts pretty confident in their approach. So England aren’t short of options here.
There is a sense of responsibility in the middle order
Every time, someone or the other across the line-up has come and stood tall. There is no panic in that middle order. Imagine having a star performer like Jos Buttler coming in at number 6 and clearing the ropes at ease. He is that perfect finisher in the side. His 671 runs this year tells you a story of sheer work and motivation shown by him.
That being said, when you look at the series against India, it was the stupendous successive centuries by Joe Root that helped England take charge. Skipper Eoin Morgan, who was undergoing a lean patch in the start of 2018, took control from there on. His consistency told from the series against New Zealand.
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He did well against India and then versus Sri Lanka. His presence till the end has helped England win matches. This is crucial for the team to see the skipper stand strong. Both Root and Morgan featured in the list for top run-scorers in ODIs in 2018. Root dominated the show with 936 runs and Morgan joined the party with 756 to his tally.
What it does highlight is the consistency in the ranks and players are ready to show their contributions in a timely fashion. Sam Billings is another player pushing for a place. England could perhaps drop a seamer and get Billings to add that extra bit of cushion in the batting unit. bench strength will be key.
England have tremendous depth in all-round department
Looking at the players they have in this zone, one can easily claim them as the best in business at this moment.
Enigmatic Ben Stokes is a class act with Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali offering immense contributions time and time again. Woakes in particular provides that assurance in the lower middle order. With the ball he solves a lot of problems. In 2018, Woakes took 19 wickets in 12 ODIs. He also scored an impressive 205 runs in this period and with the batsmen above him delivering, he hasn’t got many chances.
What bodes well for England is that Woakes knows how to bat sensibly and his power hitting capabilities make him a sheer match winner. He promises so much and his consistency is class above the rest.
Then there is spin all-rounder Moeen. He has been a regular in the side and has played 22 matches this year. Moeen impressed with 29 wickets last season. Moeen like Woakes, is a power performer. England bat real deep which helps the side to keep themselves in the game.
Joe Denly is there as well. The experienced campaigner has earned his place via the domestic circuit and he is someone who can take charge from ball one. Denly has developed his leg-spin to be more than part-time bowler. He can open the innings or come in at number three. So it’s solidity written all over.
England look to go all out with their bowling
The pace options for the Morgan’s side consists of a plethora of pacers. England have followed Australia in terms of going in with a heavy pace attack. The likes of Liam Plunkett, Mark Wood, David Willey and Tom Curran are the four frontline names. Plunkett and Wood are the names that will be the go to options for Morgan. Wood in particular has done well in recent times.
In Plunkett, the side gets plenty of experience to deal with. Willey and Curran are notable options. However, if Archer stakes a claim, then he could be making the cut. The Rajasthan Royals bowler is the dark horse for the side if he features in the final squad. With the presence of regulars Stokes and Woakes, the England line-up gets a brilliant feel to it.
England’s bowling has a fabulous mix of experience and youth on offer. Spinner Adil Rashid, in particular, has been in his own league. He finished 2018 with with 42 scalps. He has been among the wickets consistently and has the wicket-taking ability in the middle overs. Add Moeen and Denly to it and there is plenty of options for the team to deal with. Moeen took an impressive 29 wickets in 2018.
The World Cup being in England gives them the edge just like the host nations India and Australia got in 2011 and 2015 respectively.
Here is a look at England’s fixtures and complete squad
May 30: England v South Africa, The Oval
June 3: England v Pakistan, Trent Bridge
June 8: England v Bangladesh, Cardiff
June 14: England v West Indies, Southampton
June 18: England v Afghanistan, Old Trafford
June 21: England v Sri Lanka, Headingley
June 25: England v Australia at Lord’s
June 30: England vs India, Edgbaston
July 3: England v New Zealand, Chester-le-Street
World Cup squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood