England
vs
Sri Lanka
Match Schedule:
Date: September 25th D/N
Time:12:30 (GMT)
The most damning indictment of England’s limited-overs cricket is that they remain the only major nation never to have won a global one-day event. Stand by for that dismal run to last way beyond the Champions Trophy they begin here today.
This is the tournament that England — and the world game — could do without. It is the sixth, and last, staging of a competition introduced in 1998 to raise money for development but which has become an anachronism in these Twenty20-dominated days and a shrine to the avarice of administrators.
The timing of a 50-over ‘mini World Cup’ between the World Twenty20s in England last June and the West Indies next May could not be worse for England. They embark on the last assignment of their season at the Wanderers today knowing they have to forget the one-day debacle against Australia to take on the mystery and invention of a Sri Lanka team who play one-day cricket from a different planet.
It is a mighty big ask for Andrew Strauss’s team, who have had neither the time to acclimatise to playing at altitude nor to prepare themselves for their first experience of the latest spin sensation to emerge from Sri Lanka.
As if Muttiah Muralitharan is not difficult enough to manoeuvre around, England will be facing for the first time Ajantha Mendis, the mystery off-spinner who has taken the game by storm with his unique ‘flicked fingers’ action that generates turn in both directions.
Andy Flower, the England team director, was determined to remain positive about what lies ahead today and in the following group matches against South Africa and New Zealand.
‘It is a good challenge to face Murali and Mendis in the middle overs and I want to see who of our batsmen will come out of that well,’ said Flower.
‘They have watched footage of Mendis and spoken to guys who have had success against him so they are as prepared as they can be without facing him. I am looking forward to seeing how our players perform under pressure.’
Duelling pistons: Murali and Mendis
This is a pivotal competition for the future of one-day internationals over this distance.
There will be no domestic 50-over competition in England next season, although the ICC say the format is here at least until the 2015 World Cup, so you can probably write off England’s chances in the next two World Cups.
At least the ICC have had the sense to keep the Champions Trophy short — the final is a week on Monday — but whether it is sweet will be determined by the quality of matches which have yet to take the high veld by storm.
England could do their bit to help generate interest by upsetting a Sri Lanka team who thrashed the hosts South Africa in their opening game at nearby Centurion, the only other tournament venue.
At least today’s match is at the Wanderers on a pitch which should have the pace and bounce to suit England’s attack and unsettle Sri Lanka’s batsmen.
‘This summer has seen a lot of good things happen but we didn’t end it well and we are all frustrated by our one-day performances,’ said Flower.
‘But that doesn’t mean we’ve given up on these players. They have a great opportunity to play good cricket in an exciting environment now and there is a buzz about them.’
Tough task: The Andrews - Strauss and Flower - contemplate England's fortunes in South Africa
And that includes Paul Collingwood, who will equal Alec Stewart’s record as his country’s most capped one-day player (170) if England can reach the semi-finals.
Collingwood missed three of England’s six defeats by Australia when the medical staff told him his body was ‘on the brink of snapping’. He knows, though, that he can hardly complain about workload when he is committed to playing for Delhi Daredevils in the Champions League Twenty20 tournament next month.
‘I’m contractually obliged to go,’ said Collingwood, who insisted his brief rest had lifted his body from 30 per cent to 80 per cent effectiveness.
‘Whether I’m happy or not doesn’t matter. Sometimes I may not be happy with what I sign up for with England but you have to honour your contract.’
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