Andrew Strauss said he was leaving England well-placed for further success following their crushing one-day series win over the West Indies.
Andrew Strauss said he was leaving England well-placed for further success following their crushing one-day series win over the West Indies.
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Victory by 58 runs here at Edgbaston gave England the three-match campaign 2-0, with one washout, after they'd piled up 328 for seven - their highest one-day international score against the West Indies.
Strauss has opted out of next month's World Twenty20 Championship in England because the left-handed opening batsman does not believe he is a good enough player in that form of the game.
Instead all-rounder Paul Collingwood will captain England in that tournament before Strauss, who is set for a period of rest followed by County Championship action, regains the leadership ahead of the first Ashes Test against Australia in Cardiff on July 8.
In the meantime Strauss can reflect on two victories by huge margins in England's brief Test series against the West Indies and a pair of equally convincing one-day victories over Chris Gayle's far from inspiring side.
"I like the way we were clinical right through the Tests and the one-dayers," Strauss told reporters after yesterday's win.
"New players came in and did well but generally there was a level of consistency there which is very important.
"We are far from the finished article at this stage but what I am really excited about is that the guys are very keen to improve.
"The work ethic has been tremendous and everything that has happened over the last month can only help us come the first day of the Ashes."
England's recent Test and one-day series wins were achieved without injury-prone all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, ruled out this time with a knee problem which threatens his participation in the World Twenty20.
"We always want 'Fred' involved and it has been very frustrating for us, and more importantly for him, that he has picked up these injuries over the last couple of years or so," Strauss said of Flintoff, the star of England's 2005 Ashes series triumph,
"What is absolutely crucial in the long term is having a good squad of players you can pick from so that you don't have to play the same XI in every game," Strauss explained.
Kevin Pietersen, England's other star name, missed the one-dayers with an Achilles problem but team officials remain optimistic that the South Africa born batsman will be fit for the World Twenty20.
In his absence, wicket-keeper Matt Prior took over at No 3 and yeterday he made a career-best 87 that saw him win the man-of-the-match award at Edgbaston.
Any disappointment Prior may have felt in not being selected for England's World Twenty20 squad has been tempered by the knowledge that a break now will help with his recovery from a finger injury.
"There is this period now to get ready and feel as fresh as possible for the Ashes," said Prior. "To get that opportunity at three was fantastic, now I am looking forward at what is to come."
West Indies captain Gayle admitted the tour had been one of his worst experiences in international cricket.
He stressed he was "not a school teacher" and that it was down to individual players to improve their own games although Gayle did express the hope the Twenty20 might benefit his side because they would not have to concentrate for so long.
"This was a chance to get testing conditions and improve in them," he said.
"It didn't work, we are disappointed with the loss of both series but at the same time it has given us the opportunity to be ready for the Twenty20."
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