England ODI policy after defeat should be fewer Test players, not more

England ODI policy after defeat should be fewer Test players, not more

The captain, Eoin Morgan, was hindered against Australia by a loss of spark among the front-line batsmen who were not rested

There has been considerable criticism of England's selection process for these ODIs. But maybe not all of it has been justified. The main issue has been the absence of key performers from the Test series.

The usual opening pair, Alastair Cook and Ian Bell, have been recuperating from their Ashes efforts to the barely hidden disgust of old pros of another era, who look on and see their successors being paid more and playing less.

Yet the way in which the ODI series has unfolded suggests that England have in fact selected too many Test players rather than too few. Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott and even the conscientious Joe Root have had hardly any impact in the three completed matches.

No doubt they have approached these games with due diligence but for them the spark has gone no matter how hard they have tried.

They have been dismissed in dopey ways: Trott, who had a late back spasm on Monday that kept him out of the side, wafted at his first ball at Cardiff; so did Root. Here Pietersen was oblivious to Michael Carberry advancing in his direction on Monday night and was then startled to be run out. All three have been off the pace.

Hence the conclusion that perhaps England might have been better off omitting more Test players. They might have replaced the jaded with those from beyond the Test arena. The problem for the selectors was that the vitriol would have been more extreme if they had left out any more Test batsmen.

Such a theory may come over as soft. How is it that the ever-present Australians, Michael Clarke and Shane Watson, have delivered so effectively? There is a precedent to explain this. Often in recent Ashes series the defeated Test team comes back to win the ODIs that follow. The pursuit of consolation and the avoidance of further criticism is fine motivation.

So it is that in this mini-series the significant contributions with the bat for England have come from beyond the Test domain. Eoin Morgan, a captain compelled to juggle an unnecessarily threadbare attack when in the field, has generally responded well to the role of senior batsman trying to nurse his fledgling side towards a difficult target.

Ravi Bopara, an exasperating batsman because it is so hard to predict which Bopara will turn up, on Monday batted with impressive panache late into the Hampshire night. Moreover Jos Buttler, England's highest runscorer in the series from No7, has shown why he is so highly regarded in the England camp.

Buttler's wicketkeeping is without frills or any obvious style but it has been highly competent in this series, as demonstrated by his five victims on Mondayon Monday. Meanwhile there have been moments when his batting has taken away the breath of a larger audience than he is accustomed to at Taunton.

Buttler has a special talent and the logic of grooming him as England's one-day keeper is now indisputable.

The more interesting project is to develop Buttler's batting skills so that they encompass scoring significant runs against a red ball. There have been signs of progress in his efforts for Somerset this summer in a side not flushed with runs. In the long term he may well be the logical successor to Matt Prior as a No7 with freedom to express himself.

Whether Michael Carberry has an international future is less certain. Here he scraped together an unconvincing 30, before being lbw, his feet planted on the crease once again. He was not helped by the pursuit of such a massive target.

Throughout this series England mysteriously chose to pack their side with batting, leaving Morgan desperately short of bowling options, a curious reversal of their usual policy.

Afterwards, with the Rose Bowl entirely deserted at 10.40pm (most of the spectators had had enough a hour before the close thereby demonstrating the futility of international floodlit cricket in mid-September), a smiling Michael Clarke professed himself "extremely happy", adding: "This victory may not mean much to a lot of people, but to this team it means a great deal."

England cricket team
England v Australia limited-overs internationals 2013
Eoin Morgan
Australia cricket team
Australia sport
Cricket
Vic Marks

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