England prospects less than champion

When even the England coach brands the team's one-day cricket as "very ordinary", it's no wonder few give much for their chances in the Champions Trophy.

Andy Flower made that assessment when England were only 3-0 behind in their seven-match one-day series against Champions Trophy holders Australia.

Even for a full-strength England team, facing Sri Lanka, their first opponents in the tournament, just three days after arriving in South Africa would be an enormous challenge.

As it is, England - who have never won a major one-day competition - will see an inexperienced squad lacking match-winners head into the Champions Trophy without injured stars Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen.

Andrew Strauss, the England captain, has tried to lead from the front since his one-day recall this year but has lacked the top-order boost once provided by now ex-England opener Marcus Trescothick. Strauss's Middlesex colleague Eoin Morgan, the former Ireland batsman, and leg-spinner Adil Rashid offer hope of better days ahead while England fans may say their side often saves its best for when they have been most written-off. However, that tends only to apply to Test cricket.

But on a good batting pitch a steady seam attack, but one lacking genuine pace or great variety and with the still inconsistent Rashid in support, rarely looked like restricting Australia, who were helped on their way by a succession of sloppy misfields.

And as is the case with struggling sides, England have had little luck when it comes to injuries with all-rounder Luke Wright, now doubtful for the Champions Trophy after being struck on the toe batting against a bowling machine, the latest example.

England have also had to cope with an ambivalent attitude to one-day cricket at home.

Administrators view it as a financial necessity, fans think of it as 'fun' best played before the serious business of Tests, and woe betide the player who says the five-day game is not the pinnacle of his career.

"We haven't had a good one-day side since 1992," Flower said as he recalled the last of England's three losing World Cup final appearances. "So we have got to do something about it and that is part of my job."

He added: "At the moment our one-day cricket is very ordinary. We are investing a lot of time and thought into why one-day cricket in England isn't as good as it should be." But don't expect a return on that investment in South Africa.

 AFP