Cricket World Cup: Jimmy Anderson says England will be well prepared
Tuesday 23 September 2014 17:46, UK
Jimmy Anderson says England will have no excuses over lack of preparation if they fail to produce at next year's World Cup.
England's 50-over form in recent years has been average at best, and 2014 saw home series defeats at the hands of Sri Lanka and India.
Results have led to pressure on captain Alastair Cook, although he is expected to stay in charge for the tour of Sri Lanka later this year, the Tri-Series with Australia and India and the World Cup, which takes place in Australia and New Zealand in February and March of next year.
England will exclusively play one-day cricket between now and their World Cup opener against Australia on February 14 and Anderson says that can only help preparations as they look to win the tournament for the first time.
Ahead of the Sri Lanka squad announcement on Wednesday, Anderson was commentating for Sky Sports on the vital County Championship Division One clash between Lancashire v Middlesex, and he said: "The advantage we’ve got over the next few months is we can concentrate solely on one day cricket.
"We’ve no Test cricket now until March so we can go to Sri Lanka in a couple of months’ time and really focus on improving as a one-day side and go over to Australia for that Tri-Series just before the World Cup and make sure our skills are in order for doing well in the World Cup.
"Conditions will be different in Sri Lanka [to those in Australia and New Zealand] but it’s about trying to get your skills better.
Improving
"We’re going to come up against quality spinners in the World Cup and it will give us good practice against spin. It will give the bowlers good practice to use their variations in Sri Lanka and get those up to speed.
"I don’t think it matters too much where you play one day cricket you always just want to try and keep improving.
"In previous years it’s not always been the case where we can concentrate on one-day cricket for such a long period of time, there’s always been Test matches around big one-day competitions.
"We’re delighted by this opportunity and at the end of it there’ll be no excuse. It’s exciting more than anything. We’ve got such a talented group of players and we can work hard together for this next period of time and hopefully get some good results to show for it in the World Cup."
Anderson also feels Eoin Morgan is vital if England are to succeed, adding: "He's going to be a huge player for us in the one day series in Sri Lanka and on to the World Cup.
"He’s one of the most talented players I’ve played with and he’s one of those match winners you need, especially in a big competition like the World Cup and we’re hoping for him to do well."
Watch coverage of Lancashire v Middlesex live on Sky Sports 2 HD all the way through until the conclusion of the game on Friday.
And Sky Sports News HQ will bring you the news of England's tour party for Sri Lanka on Wednesday from 12:45pm.
