England: On the verge of greatness?

When I was growing up, world cricket was dominated by Australia. I was thirteen before I saw England defeat Australia in an Ashes series, and the first three Cricket World Cups that I was old enough to watch were won by the Aussies. However, over the last decade, England has gradually been building a cricketing dynasty. And now, with the Australian team on the wane, England host South Africa over three tests in what can be fairly billed as a series between the world’s two best teams, vying for supremacy.

It is true that the England team’s progression has not been without blips; the post-Ashes series in Pakistan in 2005, The Ashes whitewash of 2006-7 and, more recently, the winter tour to Dubai where England lost 3-0 in the test match series with Pakistan. Yet even that disappointing loss has coincided with a run of ten consecutive ODI victories, still ongoing. And England sits a comfortable first in the ICC Test Match World Rankings, ahead of Australia and upcoming opponents South Africa. But while the Australians seem to be in a period of decline, the South Africans have been one of cricket’s most consistently strong teams over recent years. They will provide a tough test for Andrew Strauss’ men, and a series victory would surely set apart this England team as one of the best.

This is nowhere better illustrated than by the World Rankings. As mentioned England are a clear first in Test matches, but they also sit tied for second (with South Africa) in the ODI series, marginally behind Australia (who England recently thrashed 4-0). It is a rarity in England that an ODI series can take on as much importance as a Test series. But the upcoming matches against South Africa are an exception. A series win could propel England to the top of the ODI rankings. Those of us that have sat through the characteristically turgid England ODI performances of the last ten years can probably hardly believe it has come to this. It’s a shame really that there isn’t a World Cup for another two and a half years! Remarkably England also sits comfortably atop the Twenty20 International Rankings too. There is the potential that, at the end of the summer, England will be top of the World Rankings in all three forms of the game.

That said, it will not be easy. South Africa is ranked third in Tests, and second in both ODIs and T20Is. In real terms, considering the current decline of the Aussies, England and South Africa are the two best cricket teams in the world. This series should be a corker. It is just a shame that there are only three Test matches. A five-match series, where the series can go full circle from start to finish, would have been ideal. South Africa must not be underestimated. It is down mainly to the captaincy of Graeme Smith, who is scheduled to earn his one hundredth cap in the First Test, that South Africa confidence has been rebuilt and mentalities changed. This is not the same South African team that were regularly labelled chokers in the late nineties and early noughties. Smith is also handy with the bat, averaging almost 50 in Tests. Jacques Kallis will, without doubt, be a handful with bat and ball in what may be his final Test Match series. Another player who was due to bow out after the series, Mark Boucher, suffered an horrific eye injury in a warm up game, prompting his retirement from the game. It is a shame that Boucher, one of the greatest wicket-keeper-batsmen of his generation and of all-time for his country, will not have one last hurrah. One suspects that Kallis, if this is to be his last hurrah, will make the most of it. And then there is Dale Steyn, the stand-out bowler, who will undoubtedly cause England’s batsmen no end of problems. Steyn has undergone a remarkable transformation. He is no longer the erratic young fast bowler whom England encountered in 2004-5, but is now the refined finished product, and one of the most consistent, and most feared, fast bowlers in world cricket.

England will be given hope by the lack of star names after Steyn amongst the bowlers. Importantly, considering the importance of Graeme Swann to the balance of the England bowling attack, the South Africans lack a quality spinner. Two spin bowlers make the trip: Robin Petersen and Imran Tahir. Tahir is a journeyman leg-spinner, but he has limited test match experience and is yet to make a significant contribution to the team with the ball. Petersen is vastly more experienced but is a more defensive option. If South Africa are reluctant to play a spinner, or a play one but do not use him, this could have a detrimental effect on their fast bowling.

For England, ten of the names who will play should be no surprise. The question for England, especially in the most important series they have played since the last Ashes, is whether to go with a fifth bowler or an extra batsman. The three men vying for the final spot are Ravi Bopara, Graeme Onions and Steven Finn. Bopara can provide fill-in overs, but nothing more. The more attacking choice would be Finn or Onions, and that would be one I would advocate. England’s top order is a very strong one and it would be fair to back them to score the runs. Graham Swann, Tim Bresnan and Stuart Broad are all accomplished lower order batsmen in their own right, and if necessary they are capable of taking the slack. Personally, I would go with Onions, who has been in imperious form this season, the one bright light in an otherwise miserable season for Durham.

I predict a close series. It is certainly not one to miss. I fancy England to sneak the Test matches, probably 1-0 with two draws. The ODI and T20I series are well and truly up for grabs; I can see them finishing 3-2 and 2-1 respectively, with either team capable of coming out on top.