Cricket: England playing catch-up in fast-moving one-day game

The tourists have come a long way but there is a long way to go, writes STEPHEN BRENKLEY of the Independent

England will not win the World Cup next year.

The punter who suggests otherwise might also consider having a small investment in Great Britain's winning the America's Cup while seeking confirmation of flying kiwis.

The side who face New Zealand in the one-day series, beginning in Christchurch today, is immeasurably more composed than the bunches of stumblebums who were so inept in the last two tournaments and who lost 11 limited-overs games up to August.

Nasser Hussain's proud combination of unsung journeymen, proficient internationals and the odd sprinkling of stardust are watchable, persevering and learning how to keep their nerve.

They may well offer the traumatised Black Caps some fierce competition over the five matches but beyond that, surely, there is too much ground to cover, too much experience to gain, too many innovations to overlook, too little time.

Captain Hussain himself, who has moulded this team in his image, recognises the shortcomings.

To anyone who will listen, he will praise their character but list where they must improve.

This changes daily but the latest roll call included fielding, intensity, fighting in tight situations, batting in the first 15 overs and bowling at the death.

To which could be added catching, batting in the middle order, batting at the tail, bowling with the new ball. Perhaps not much else. Oh, except having a clue soon about what might be the best team.

England's attitude towards the short form of the game has been appalling. Administrators always tolerated it rather than embraced it, which seemed to work reasonably well until the mid-nineties. Then came the seismic shift.

A new way of playing suddenly appeared and England, aloof old England, were unprepared and under-rehearsed. They were engulfed in the earthquake generated by Sri Lanka's captain and opener, Sanath Jayasuriya, in 1996 and have never really recovered.

Novelty still evades them, and as they were left behind in the pinch-hitting revolution, so they may not be ready for the fast-bowling uprising which looks as though it will divide the ready from the unready next year.

England still do not play enough one-day internationals, but even now when this is acknowledged - and inexperience is supplied as reason and excuse for ineptitude - it is inevitably balanced with the rider that players must be protected from playing too much.

The team's strengths, as in tests, undoubtedly lie largely in Hussain's passionate leadership. A fire burns within him. Yet he is perversely a weakness, too. He and the coach, Duncan Fletcher, will deny it always, but Hussain is not a naturally gifted one-day player.

At No 3 - and consider that Graeme Hick occupied that spot in the one-day side 60 times, which is an eternity in English terms - he does not have the range of shots required. There is no thunder there.

Hussain has long since grown weary of the observation and he is there to stay. That causes further complications with Nos 4 and 5.

If they are Michael Vaughan and Graham Thorpe, there is in the middle order a similarity which may well breed contempt in the opposition.

At least, unlike New Zealand, England appear to have hit on a stable opening partnership in the all left-handed Marcus Trescothick and Nick Knight. They are beginning to complement each other well, running the unspoken singles and deciding on the day who is in the form for big hitting. Trescothick is becoming a player of stature.

The most charismatic player is Andrew Flintoff. If England are to prosper, the man known as Freddie has to provide the spark. He is a bowler of genuine pace and one of the hardest, free hitters around. He also brings a smile to the game.

England's bowling will probably revolve around Andrew Caddick and Darren Gough, experienced hands both. But that pays no real heed to speed. The side's fielding is settling down. Players at last know automatically where they should be.

Under Hussain and Fletcher, the team have undoubtedly begun catching up. The recent 3-3 draw in India was splendid. The feeling persists that catching up may not be enough, that England need to invent fresh ideas, that 2003 will come too soon.

- INDEPENDENT