England’s Probable Squad for Cricket World Cup 2015

One has often seen the inventor of a particular sport or even a device is not always the best player or user of it. Similar has been the case with England, the creators’ of the game of Cricket. There has been no phase in cricketing era which has seen English dominance over other cricketing nations.

The first era completely belonged to the West Indies for at least a decade. Australia took over from them and ruled cricket for another 15 years or so. Today the world sees different champions in different formats South Africa are test no. 1, whereas India rule the 50 overs format and Sri Lanka the T20’s.

So, the game has never given them fond memories, apart from their famous Ashes wins, test to an extent has seen them succeed but they have been a below par ODI team. As the arena is being setup for the biggest cricketing event the cricket world cup 2015. We take a look at the current English side and a prediction as to which players might be heading to Australia and New Zealand with their English World Cup 2015 tickets.

Probable team:

Openers:

The team will open their batting under skipper Alastair Cook, who will have this opportunity to lead the team from the front with his own batting. The importance of a good initial phase has no parallels especially in testing conditions like Australia. Balance of the line-up will shape up in the way Cook and his partner Alex Hales take charge.

Expected: Alastair Cook, Alex Hales

Reserves: Michael Lumb, Michael Carberry

Middle Order:

Expected: Ian Bell, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan

Middle order is the back bone of a batting, even good starts fail to take the team home if the middle order fails. The English middle order with Bell, Root and Morgan looks solid and apt for any challenge. It has the right bled on experience, energy, aggression and composure with all the three different from each other yet complementary.

Reserve : Gary Ballance ,James Taylor

All-rounder:

Expected: Ravi Bopara, Ben Stokes

England have as well as don’t have an all-rounder, not very consistent but at the same time have it in them to be called the title, Ravi Bopara, Moeen Ali can both on their day bat and bowl like champions. These events though are not so frequent occurrence in English cricket. Stuart Broad as well can hit a few meaty blows in the end, but frankly we do not count them specialist all-rounders. Who they actually opt for in Australia and New Zealand will depend a lot on current scenario and the combination the management is willing to go in with.

Reserve: Moeen Ali

Wicket-keeper:

Expected: Jos Buttler

In recent times Mat Prior has found it tough to glove the ball and bat it as well. This makes Jos Buttler the potent permanent wicket-keeper for them in the tournament and Prior his replacement. Whosoever is picked needs to catch those bouncy ones that their pacers will shoot in, after all this 2015 world cup is supposed to belong to the faster bowlers.

Reserve: Mat Prior

Spinner:

Expected: James Tredwell

England has never been a country producing spinners; let’s leave the job to teams from the sub-continent. Ever since Gramm Swan (who has to be the best English spinner in a generation at least) retired there has been a vacuum. James Tredwell to an extent fills it but not as much as Cook would like. He has another option in Moeen Ali, who we count as an all-rounder but off late has been a better spinner. Danny Briggs is our reserve (suggested) spinner, he’s a young left arm-orthodox bowler could add variety to the attack.(also read India’s Probable Squad for WC 2015)

Reserve: Danny Briggs

Pacers: 

Expected: James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Steve Finn

This is something the team is proud off and flaunts it as well. Their faster bowlers and selecting them would be a call worth making. There are so many names to talk of, starting with those who will certainly form the XI.Is James Anderson who is the teams’ most shining gem, if Anderson shines so does entire squad, he will also lead the attack and destroy the opposition if ever it has to happen Jimmy’s got to do it. Then is Stuart Broad, Steve Finn the two should accompany Anderson so could anybody from among Chris Jordan, Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes. This is one of the strongest fast bowling line up that will hold the cherry in the 2015 World Cup and most of England’s ICC ODI championship winning hopes would rest on these shoulders.

Reserves: Chris Jordan, Chris Woakes

Note: This is not an officially announced or guaranteed squad for the world cup but a probability based on the author’s own views and opinions.