Chris Jordan is England's future, says Paul Collingwood
'The good teams have got 3D players and he’s one of those'
Monday 16 March 2015 15:12, UK
Guest ICC columnist Paul Collingwood says that England must build around multi-dimensional cricketers like Chris Jordan after their early World Cup exit...
It was probably the last game they wanted to play after what’s happened over the last few weeks but England’s win over Afghanistan was a job well done.
It was never going to be an easy fixture to play in but at least they got the job done in a rain-affected match.
Can you take positives out of it? Probably not, but it’s a win and they brought in some new players. Looking to the future, there’s an indication of the philosophy with Alex Hales at the top of the order, James Tredwell – the best spinner they’ve got in the one-day game – came back in and Ravi Bopara did well.
But it’s Jordan who really stood out. He is a serious cricketer.
Destructive
This World Cup has really highlighted what direction the one-day game is going, heading down the Twenty20 route and Jordan’s a modern cricketer.
He’s a powerful player, a fast bowler, he’s good at the death, he’s got great hands and his batting can be very destructive down the bottom of the order as well. A lot of the good teams at the World Cup have got 3D players and he’s one of those.
It’s good to see him in there and you would think he’ll play a lot of Twenty20 and one-day cricket for England in the future.
England obviously have got an eye on what’s ahead and the way they want to go, but unfortunately it feels a bit too late now.
I think everyone will realise now that Hales probably should have been playing a year ago and given a good run of games to get his form going into the World Cup.
Relaxed
He’s quite a relaxed character and that’s another thing that England need to look at. He keeps it pretty simple and he’s another youngster that will hopefully have time to adjust to international cricket.
The devastating thing is that it’s another four years until the next World Cup. We keep coming out of these tournaments saying we’ve learnt lessons but it really is the time to learn them. We always find out the hard way.
The team will move on but it’s just so disappointing that we’re not in the quarter-finals.
I’ve been in this situation and it’s really tough as a player. You feel as though the whole world is on top of you. You almost feel as if the extent of the inquest isn’t deserved. But they will understand they haven’t performed and I thought they had the most skilful squad that we’ve ever gone into a World Cup with.
Frightening
Whether it be the approach or just a lack of confidence that has stifled them in the end, it has been their downfall and they can’t get away from the fact that they’ve not been good enough.
The frightening thing is that if they’d pushed teams close in the defeats, people would have accepted that, but there’s been such a huge gap between the best teams and England. They will need a mental break now. Although they’ve lost and everyone will want to see them working hard in the nets, these results take a lot out of you emotionally.
They need to get away from the game, away from thinking about cricket and really try to recharge as quickly as possible for a tour to the West Indies that everyone will have a close eye on now.
It’s a massive year for England. New Zealand will be tough in the Test matches early in the season with the way they swing the ball and then it’s the Ashes.
A lot of times England respond to that and we all hope they can turn it around and have a great summer. Its doom and gloom at the moment but in a few months I hope the confidence will be back and the players will be back to their best and enjoying the game again.
England need to get that fun factor back and that’s when they play their best.
Column from www.icc-cricket.com courtesy of 2015 © ICC Development (International) Limited.
