Chance for England to test bench strength - Fourth ODI preview

Fourth ODI - England v Pakistan, Headingley
1st September, 14:00 local | 13:00 GMT

This current England one-day side are the greatest they have ever produced.That is not hyperbole, it is undeniable.

Their world record 444 for three on Tuesday at Tent Bridge merely confirmed what has been evident since that invigorating series against New Zealand at the start of last summer.Then, it seemed as if the shackles and muddled thinking that had been holding England’s one-day cricket back for 25 years had finally been shaken off.The last 18 months have proved just that.

With the Champions Trophy in England next summer, Eoin Morgan’s men look favourites to win their first global one-day tournament but the question as to whether they can perform when the pressure and stakes are highest is one for another time.

For now, they are playing a tired and underpowered Pakistan team.Only a remarkable performance by the visitors can avoid a 5-0 whitewash and as England head to Headingly for the fourth game of the series, their confidence can rarely have been higher.

Whether they will use the opportunity to rest some of their key players ahead of a busy winter that contains seven Tests, nine One-Day Internationals and three T20s remains to be seen but it would be sensible to at least give Joe Root and Chris Woakes a rest.

Players who have yet to see action in the series such as Chris Jordan, Liam Dawson and Jonny Bairstow deserve a chance to prove their worth and to show the strength of England’s bench.It has the added benefit of staving off any complacency that may creep in.

England have been reluctant to change their side much when on a winning roll though and the thinking behind that policy is sound: England are not yet good enough to start taking wins for granted so better to pick their best team than risk losing the winning habit.

England have not had it all their own way in the series either.Whilst the batting has taken the plaudits, the bowling has not hit the same heights even whilst recognising that bowling in modern one-day cricket is akin to trying to stop a herd of stampeding bison with a piece of string.

Adil Rashid has had a quiet series and averages 42 with the ball from his 33 One-Day Internationals. As an attacking bowler whose job it is to take wickets in the middle overs, Rashid still has some work to do.His spot is safe for now but a few wickets in the last two games will be welcome.

Without the left-arm option of David Willey, England’s pace attack looks samey with Woakes, Mark Wood and Liam Plunkett all offering right-arm bowling of similar pace.All three have had their good spells this series but the return of Willey, especially at his home ground Headingley where the ball will swing for a short time, is an option that should be taken.

Whilst England have options and confidence, Pakistan look like a side who want to be back at home.After their magnificent Test exploits, this one-day series looks a step too far for them.Sloppiness is creeping in - there were nine no-balls at Trent Bridge - and they look shorn of the vibrancy that is so important in ODI cricket.

Some are still fighting though and opener Sharjeel Khan looks a player with the sort of explosive and aggressive game required at the top of the order. His 58 from 30 balls in the last game gave England a dose of their own medicine and if Pakistan are to register a victory in this series, Khan will likely have to do something else special.

Apart from Khan, Pakistan’s batting looks far too timid to be able to challenge England’s.Captain Azhar Ali still doesn’t convince as a one-day batsman and the middle order looks brittle and powerless when compared to the home side’s. It doesn’t help that Pakistan doesn’t know their best batting line up either.

The bowling figures from Trent Bridge read like a horror story and Pakistan’s best bowlers, WahabRiaz, Mohammad Amir and Yasir Shah, look spent and bereft of energy after their Test exploits.It would be no surprise to see them all given a rest for the remaining two games.If that happens, the attack will be severely inexperienced.

Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur has been honest in stating several of Pakistan’s players are playing for their places, which is as it should be, but the selection of the side must also be called in to question.It has hardly helped their cause.

The experienced seamer Umar Gul was recalled to the squad, played the first game and has not been seen since. Mohammad Nawaz played the first game, was left out of the second and returned for the third. Mohammad Hafeez, an excellent one-day player, was dropped after the first game too and has not reappeared.

Contrast this with England’s recent approach. Alex Hales and Jason Roy are developing in to a quite excellent opening pairing, but neither had fully convinced in their one-day performances last season.Hales scored only two half centuries in his first twenty ODIs. Instead of discarding them, the England selectors kept faith, realising it takes time to learn a role and a method in one-day cricket and both are now delivering regularly.

Headingley has been a happy hunting ground for England of late winning their last two games there. They beat Australia last year with Morgan making an excellent run a ball 92 in a three wicket win.Of that team, only James Taylor is not in the current squad, further emphasising the consistency of personnel England have had in one-day cricket over the past year.

The forecast is set fair and it should be another run fest.Headingley usually offers something to the bowlers, and there may be some swing with the new ball, but it will be another flat pitch. These days, England rarely play on anything other than brilliant surfaces for batting in one-day cricket at home.

To sum up where the respective sides find themselves:England have a settled squad full of players who are vibrant and in form and most importantly know their roles;Pakistan do not know how they are trying to play, have little idea of their best one-day players and look short of energy and motivation.

Today could be another long day for Azhar Ali’s men.

© Cricket World 2016