Team England at World Cup
The most improved ODI and Test side in recent years, England have the advantage of having a stable team for all formats of the game. England's strengths lie in doing the simple things right and they stick to the old-school method of building a foundation first. They have openers who provide a solid base and a hard-hitting middle-order with Kevin Pietersen, Eoin Morgan and Paul Collingwood. England's pace bowlers have been hitting the right notes in the build-up to the big tournament, but the spinners haven't really performed well in the limited-over format. It will all come down to how well England handle the pressure of chasing their first World Cup trophy. If they can come through their group in second or third place, they have a great chance of making it to the semi-finals. Andrew Strauss/ Captain
An elegant batsman and an astute leader, Strauss has been a big reason behind England's resurgence as a force to be reckoned with. Together with coach Andy Flower, Strauss has injected belief and confidence into a rag-tag bunch of players and made them into a world-beating unit. Look no further than the retention of the Ashes urn in Australia for proof.
Early criticism of Strauss and his ODI game had to do with his low strike rate. He has responded with aplomb, working on scoring quickly in the early overs and his current strike rate hovers around a respectable 80 runs per 100 balls mark. It probably helps that he is a very calm player and does not get frazzled even in crunch situations. One of the features of Strauss' batting is his powerful cut shot and he loves waiting for the ball to punch it square off the wicket. On the field, he is also one of the safest fielders in the slip cordon and England's fast bowlers have a lot to thank him for.
Eoin Morgan
England's best limited overs batsman, Morgan has come a long way since his debut and regularly features in the final analysis of England's wins. The 24-year-old has a healthy appetite for big scores and his maturity in tight chases belies his young age. A cricketer of the Twenty20 generation, he is a rapid (sometimes belligerent) scorer and a safe pair of hands.
James Anderson
2010 was the year of James Anderson. The man could not put a foot wrong and came up with some of his best performances of his career including a stellar showing in Australia. That should rev him up nicely for the World Cup and the bowling responsibilities rest squarely on his shoulders. Unlike earlier on in his career, one can fully expect him to step up.
Kevin Pietersen
The most flamboyant cricketer in England's ranks, Pietersen is as petulant as impressive. He has a very good record in the subcontinent and the friendly tracks should encourage KP to erase the inconsistency and complacency that have plagued his game. He is also turning out to be a handy bowler and his performance in the IPL should encourage the thinktank to employ him as a spin option.
Graeme Swann
England's go-to spinner is also their best, but his recent performances have left a lot to be desired. He will definitely play a part on turning tracks in the subcontinent and England will need him to tie one end down, if not take wickets, if they are to progress late into the tournament. A handy batsman, he has been known to finish off chases that threaten to get hairy.u00a0
Paul Collingwood
The elder statesman in the England squad, Collingwood brings bags of experience to the table. He is England's leading ODI run scorer and has been a mainstay in the middle order for a long time. Collingwood is not the most talented cricketer, but he makes up for it with determination and grit no matter if it is his batting or bowling and he is also the best fielder in the side, regularly taking stunners to dismiss key batsmen.u00a0
Tim Bresnan
A key all-rounder with serious talent, Bresnan announced himself on the big stage in the Ashes series Down Under, but before that he contributed to England's World T20 win in a big way to make his place a near certainty in all forms of the game. A big-built bowler, he has superb control with the new ball, a great quality in any fast bowler in ODIs. While his batting is normally overshadowed, he is capable of holding his own as he did against the Aussies at Centurion when he got his maiden fifty in the last Champions Trophy.u00a0
WC Record
England have appeared in three finals but are yet to win a World Cup.u00a0
1975 - Semi-finals. Lost to Australia.
1979 - Runners-up, losing to West Indies in the final.
1983 - Semi-finals. Lost to India.
1987 - Runnersup, losing to Australia.u00a0
1992 - Finalists again, but lose to Pakistan.u00a0
1996 - Lost in QF to Sri Lanka.
1999 - Exit in the first round.u00a0
2003 - Exit in the first round.u00a0
2007 - Only made it to the Super 8 stage.u00a0
Follow Englandu00a0
Feb 22 VS Netherlands
Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground, Nagpud
Feb 27 VS India
Eden Gardens, Kolkatau00a0
Mar 2 VS Ireland
M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore
Mar 6 VS South Africa
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennaiu00a0
Mar 11 VS Bangladesh
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagongu00a0
Mar 17 VS West Indies
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
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