Bat and ball / Paul Moon / 28 March 2009 / 1

Paul Moon tries to get to the bottom of why England are an awful ODI team at present and puts forward some suggestions which the likes of Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss would be well advised to listen to.

International sport is inundated with psychologists helping competitors and teams to achieve optimum mental health, thus enhancing sporting performance. Techniques including mastery of awareness, visualisation and relaxation whilst under pressure, are fundamental to success.

Having the correct mindset in sport is a prerequisite that must be indoctrinated from top to bottom. In the heat of the battle this priority sometimes gets blurred so it is crucial that the top tier reinforce this state of mind religiously!

There has been a substantial increase in runs scored per over in ODIs over the past few years and this continues trend is set to continue. Batsmen have never had it so good and a 300-plus total that was unthinkable in the 1980s is now commonplace. The increase is down to three things, the change in attitude for the opening overs, the introduction of 'Powerplays' and the mindset of the modern cricketer.

Unfortunately these nuances are lost on the naïve English cricket team. A denial of these changes prevents progress. To them the likes of Sanath Jayasuriya and Adam Gilchrist never existed! England's tortuous approach is at odds with the modern game, made worse because we have the raw material.

The increasingly sterile and mechanical way England build or chase a total is ineffective! Nurturing negative attitudes destroys assertion and the obsession with preserving wickets throughout an innings in a vain hope of a spurt at the end is old hat and proven failure!

Andrew Strauss has no tactical nous and is far too cautious. Flapping his arms around like a landing signal officer, making facial contortions and moving the field after every delivery is not captaincy. He does not initiate confidence or bravado, he must go!

Core principles apply to any sport. In ODI matches a batsman needs to possess more than one shot in his armoury, he needs to keep the scoreboard moving. The bad ball should be hit for four or at least an attempt. Players need to adapt to the situation and think outside the box. Being positive and alert, they must learn to visualise the total picture and take responsibility.

This rules out Ian Bell (one century in 79 games) and Alastair Cook (one century in 23 games). Can you imagine any other country accepting that standard of performance? The sight of Ian Bell smiling and touching gloves in a middle of the wicket chat - having played out a maiden over during a Powerplay - was a sight that will haunt me forever!

Steve Harmison is another charlatan. In 55 matches he averages 1.38 wickets per game with a top score of 13. He cannot bend down to retrieve or take a catch, so what does he bring? He should not have been allowed back into the set up for the Stanford jaunt. He is a sad indictment showing England for the befuddled rabble that they are!

England should stop thinking of Flintoff as a messiah. He is seldom fit and has only returned to the Caribbean so that he can have his payday with the IPL without incurring the wrath of the ECB. When in shape he should bat at eight and be used as a bits and pieces player. Collingwood is not a number five. He should bat six or seven if selected.

England are awful in the current ODI series against the bottom ranked Windies (I do not consider Bangladesh and Zimbabwe cricket nations). In reality they should be 3-0 down rather than trailing 2-1, their one victory coming courtesy of that monumental gaffe by West Indies coach John Dyson, who miscalculated what the Windies needed to do to win on the Duckworth Lewis method.

To claim it was just shot selection that cost them the game at Barbados is an airbrush of all the ills regading the set-up. Confusion reigns from the top to bottom. They resemble a rabble with no plan or forward thinking. They are negative and indecisive and the factions have unsettled them.

The teams meet again for the 4th ODI in Barbados on Sunday (14:30) and clearly England cannot be as bad again. Betair odds show: West Indies [1.78] and England [2.2] but England layers won't be seeing any of my money up on Betfair looking to back them.

A new dynamic is required where the new management has a proactive strategy of winning games. Dispense the laptops and pie charts to the rubbish bin and bring back Pietersen (who was doing moderately well with the captaincy).

Positive energy must cascade downwards. The players should be fit and able to field. The captain, having warranted his place should be able to kick ass, motivate and inspire. Directness, boldness and invention should replace this aimless amble. English fans deserve better!

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1. Richie Cunningham | 30 March 2009

   Pablo can you tell me what is the matter with our Cricketers of today . I know we may harp on about the Botham's Gatting's and Willis's of the old brigade, but one thing they had was the will and determination to win . When I watch the ODI I sometimes cringe with embarrasment of our national team struggling to win with not an ounce of intelligance between them .The commitment is not there and I am sure that money comes into this as was the issue with the amounts flintoff and Peiterson were offered from the IPL .I feel that the time is now right for these players with Ego's to be kicked out of the national side and younger players brought in, after all we cant win anything at the monment so we cant get any worse .

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