Quick thoughts: West Indies v England ODIs

This is a series that seemed to creep up on me unexpectedly, sneaking in when I was just starting to turn my attention to the county season ahead. But that's not to say it has no significance. With England's focus being on ODIs until after the Champions Trophy, as they seek to end their eternal wait for a 50 over tournament win, the series offers more opportunities for players to seal their spot in the team, or to throw their name into the reckoning. As such, here's a quick look at the series after England's win in the opening game.

With Alex Hales missing through injury, Sam Billings got another chance at the top of the order. Whilst he still falls into the category of makeshift opener at this point, he has shown his promise with two fifties in three innings at the top - without quite sealing the deal by making that big score. Despite Hales scoring a record 171 only five innings ago, after missing the tour of Bangladesh and having a quiet tour of India before injury his place may not be so secure. There is an opportunity to take, but it'll have to be soon, with Hales hoping to make his return before the tour ends.

Eoin Morgan's 2016 was, well, quiet - averaging 29.81 with just the two fifties across his thirteen innings. So far, 2017 has served him better, with a century in the first ODI following another in India. It wasn't an innings that started fluently, but it was an innings England needed - coming in at 29/2 and helping them to the brink of 300. In partnership with Stokes (55) and Moeen Ali (a 22-ball 31 at the death), it might not have been the big-hitting bravado we've come to expect from England, but it was a clever innings that suited the situation and conditions.

With a spate of injuries to the fast bowlers, Steven Finn returned to the ODI side for the first time since September 2015. Such a long absence has always surprised me somewhat, given his decent record in the format, and that height, pace, and bounce that will always make him a threat. But as many times as he steps up, he steps back, and this winter has seen him drift from the side. There were no wickets in the first match, but with England short on resources, it's another chance to claim a spot. Another exciting name to have received a call up is Surrey's Tom Curran, and it's surely only a matter of time before we see him in the team. And after flying him in from the other side of the world, hopefully that time will be on this tour.

It was a good day for both Chris Woakes and Liam Plunkett who finished with four wickets apiece in what was, all in all, a good performance by England's seam bowlers. The fourth option, Ben Stokes, wasn't even used. Adil Rashid also returned to England's ODI side after being dropped in India, and it will be interesting to see how both him and Moeen Ali perform in the series ahead. England might not need two spinners once they return home, and though Rashid might be more of the wicket taking option he has perhaps slipped behind Moeen in recent months after his mauling at the hands of India's batsmen in that sole ODI. But in the meantime, Moeen has been wicketless in the format. It'll be as much a question of what England want from their spinner as who is the most effective.

The thrill of the fight

How test cricket is a wonderful, wonderful thing. The runs might have dried up, and wickets too had come to a halt; on the face of it, not much might have been happening at all. And yet it was gripping, utterly absorbing stuff. A target to chase that was a tall ask, but not entirely out of reach, meant that every ball survived and every run scored could give England just a fraction more hope, but that everything could change with just a wicket. Pakistan ran out deserved winners in the end, after a contest that was utterly enthralling.

Pakistan were the victors, winning not just the match but also the hearts of many watching. Their previous tour to England of course ended in acrimony, overshadowed by the spot-fixing scandal that saw Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif, and Mohammad Amir banned and also imprisoned as a result. Amir made his return to the test team at the scene where it all happened before, but - barring the odd grumblings of discontent - the reception from the stands was generally positive. The final wicket was his, fitting with the script. The past is behind this Pakistan team, and now here is a side crafted in Misbah's image: Misbah, 40 years old and still every bit a test player, and celebrating a century at Lord's with press-ups. When the game reached its conclusion, the team followed; first standing to attention before taking orders from Younis Khan, a reference to a recent army camp before the tour began.

But the match belonged to two men more than most - to Chris Woakes, and to Yasir Shah. I was one of those unconvinced by Chris Woakes before the summer began, but I definitely no longer feel that way, and I am glad for that. He was England's most threatening, most dangerous bowler - and eleven wickets in the match can attest to that. And he held out with the bat too, in that long partnership with Jonny Bairstow that looked like it could edge things back in England's favour. But they had to face Yasir Shah. Yasir, who left England's batsmen utterly flummoxed - and sometimes before they'd even come out to bat. The ball to dismiss Gary Ballance in the second innings brought comparisons with Shane Warne's other 'ball of the century', the one to dismiss Andrew Strauss at Edgbaston in 2005. Sometimes it was just the straight one that did the job too, like the key breakthrough to dismiss Bairstow after he'd held out for so long. Ten wickets in the match were for Yasir, and it was a warning for the rest of the summer for England.

England went on the attack for the second innings, chasing a target of 283. It was a smart way to go after the new ball, perhaps the best time to face this Pakistani attack - just before it really starts swinging or reversing, and before Yasir comes on with his spin. But it was certainly a bold move, and like so many of England's bold moves, flirted dangerously on that line between positivity and recklessness. It will always look brilliant and attract praise when it succeeds, but easily looks foolish when it fails. Hales was gone early, cutting the ball. Root was out pulling straight to the fielder. Vince made his highest score for the test team with 42, but gave chances all the way - and his eventual dismissal wasn't a huge surprise. Moeen's was the worst of the lot - charging at the spinner at the start of his innings, when it just wasn't needed. Ballance (43) was more secure, but the need to dig in soon took over when England fell to 139/6.

England find themselves again with selection dilemmas ahead of the next test, reflected in the 14 men in the squad. Anderson and Stokes return after injury, whilst Adil Rashid is also present - giving the option to play a second spinner, or to replace Moeen Ali as the first choice. Whilst Anderson and Stokes look likely to replace Jake Ball and Steven Finn, Stokes's ability with the bat could lead him to replace James Vince, still struggling to make his mark in the team. If so, it may be an interesting call with the bowlers: to go for a second spinner, so rare in England; to stick with Ball, after a decent show on his debut; or to carry on with Finn, who often looked out of his rhythm, then suffered two dropped catches when he found it.

What is sure though, is that we look in for an absolute treat of a series. The fourth day was the kind that sets the pulse racing, the true test of determination and wills, the character that makes the sport as much as the physical action of bat on ball. And it could well continue with two sides looking very evenly matched, with individuals capable of brilliance, and with the bowlers edging the battle between bat and ball. After this game, I can't wait for the rest of the series.

The one-day revolution

About fifteen months ago, England were being knocked out of the ODI World Cup. Another international tournament had come around, and once again England were left chasing the big boys, playing in slow motion as the game had whizzed on ahead of them. The cricket was bland and unexciting, even though the players had the talent to be anything but. Talk of the numbers and par scores seemed to take precedence over the the team's own freedom to attack and express themselves.

Watching England now still almost feels difficult to believe, like if you pinch yourself you might wake up from the dream. There has never been a huge change in personnel - though of course some new faces came in - but the change in attitude has been dramatic. Getting to 300 with the bat no longer feels like a rarity, more like a minimum. England made 324 in the last match and it still felt like they hadn't fully hit their stride. Gone are that team that looked so far behind the times at the 2015 World Cup, with no freedom, joy, or attack. That team lives in the past. The new England are here to stay.

And sure, it's not all been plain sailing. Series losses to Australia in South Africa show that it's still a learning curve, the latter especially an example when they let the series slip from their grasp after taking a 2-0 lead. The first ODI of this series too, showed that the threat of the traditional English batting collapse hasn't disappeared - though a brilliant game of cricket with a thrilling finale, it was still a match where England snatched a tie from the jaws of defeat of a match they should have won. At times it can be that there's just that extra maturity lacking - knowing when to hold back a little and not be gung-ho all the time, or with what approach to take when bowling. But maturity comes with experience, and experience comes with time, and a young team should have plenty of time on its side.

Perhaps Sri Lanka weren't the strongest side, and they have certainly endured a torrid tour. Injuries haven't helped them, and neither has a lack of match practice in English conditions. It was always going to be difficult post-Sangakkara and post-Jayawardene, but there are still shoots of hope. Mathews and Chandimal shared several partnerships worth over fifty, scoring three and four fifties apiece. Kusal Mendis also looked very promising early on in his international career. But the wickets would often come at the wrong times, and just at the moment when Sri Lanka wanted to be gearing up for the back end of the innings, they had to play themselves in again and England could apply the pressure.

After the first match, England just made batting look easy. In the second game, Sri Lanka saw their total of 254 chased down in only 34 overs, Roy and Hales both making centuries without losing their wickets. After a washout, game four brought another century for Jason Roy - 162 runs, just five short of England's record held by Robin Smith. Roy was brilliant, and if he didn't quite find his fluency during his first year in the England team, he's certainly found it now. Smith's record might not be lasting for very much longer. There were fifties too for Root, his typical way of getting runs before anyone notices; Buttler - a 93 that held the innings together in the first match, then a thrilling 70 in the last; and one for Woakes, the key man in the opening tie with 95* before Plunkett's six off the last ball stole the headlines. James Vince also chipped in with a fifty in the final match after coming in for Hales, a first international fifty that will surely give a confidence boost after a difficult test series.

England were on top with the ball, too. Bowling in ODIs is never an easy - or enviable - task, but England did enough to impress. Plunkett and Willey topped the wicket taking charts with ten each, whilst Rashid and Woakes had economies under five for the whole series. England might not know their best bowling attack, and in any case, rotation will always be a factor with others such as Stokes, Finn, Wood, and Topley absent in this series. Here though they struck a good balance - the left arm swing of Willey, the aggression of Plunkett, the pace and consistency of Woakes, and the legspin of Rashid.

Certainly, this England team is more exciting than ever before. And maybe even better than ever before as well, or at least the best England ODI team there's been in recent years. They've made it fun to watch their one day cricket again, something they didn't particularly do before - instead it was more often with a resigned sigh. It was hard to get excited about England's chances when they never valued the game in the way of other countries, but since Strauss took the job at the top every format is a priority, and there has been a focus on one day cricket that was never there before. And it's paying off. England's ODI revolution is going strong. 

That never-ending question

It's not the first time recently that England have emerged from a series victorious, yet still find themselves with several questions still to answer about the side. And yes, it quite often seems to be the very same question that rears its head - after every series, after every match. It's a batting line up that still never fires consistently, still finds itself three or four wickets down for not-very-many, and though the personnel may change, the problem still stays the same.

In any team, there's normally one man under pressure. It's not often that a top six will contain six players all in fine form at the same time. Even in great successes, there's always somebody who has found it that little bit tougher. For England over the last couple of years though, it's rarely just been one batsman. It's happened so many times that it can feel like the phrase 'England's top order failings' is just whirring on repeat in the background. During this series alone England found themselves at 83/5, 84/4, and 50/3 at various times. The lower-middle order, numbers six to eight, bailed them out this time (Bairstow in particular continuing his purple patch), but still - there's only so long England will be able to manage with half the batting line up functioning.

Compton was the man under the spotlight this series, and sadly his international career will surely now be at an end. Though certainly a fine player at county level, we only ever saw glimpses of this in an England shirt - two centuries in New Zealand and the 85 he scored on his return in South Africa, one of the most important innings of the series. But generally at test level, it's never stuck for him. Maybe it's the mental side, or maybe it's about finding his way to score, with comments about his strike rate following him wherever he went. Sport moves on quickly, and chances are hard enough to come by at any age. Almost 33, a third go won't come around.

Times were hard too for James Vince, though just at the beginning of his international career. He is unquestionably a lovely player to watch and easy to appreciate, one who can make it all look easy on a good day. But test cricket is a learning curve, and just looking good doesn't compare to actually making runs. Some also pointed to the fact that his batting average in the second division of the County Championship far exceeds his average in the first (averaging over 60 in both 2013 and 2014 in division two but just 32.70 last year in division one). He's a player who has been on England's radar for a long time and will certainly stay in the side for the series against Pakistan in the second half of the summer. But Pakistan's bowlers should provide more of a threat than Sri Lanka's, and Vince will need to learn fast.

It's not all doom and gloom, of course not. England won the series, and with Cook and Root not providing their usual weight of runs, others stood up. It's still too early to tick off the opener's spot, but Alex Hales certainly stated his case, though ultimately falling just short of a test century in three innings. Maybe he hasn't provided the swashbuckling innings that might have been hoped for when first selected - but more importantly he's shown the key qualities of a test batsman, like patience and control around his off stump. It wasn't easy in South Africa, but he looks to have learnt from the experience. The lower-middle order delivered as well, with a century for Moeen Ali, two for Jonny Bairstow, and Chris Woakes also chipping in with some runs. Whether or not Bairstow should take the gloves will be a debate sure to continue throughout the summer, but he's shown his star quality with the bat on the international stage and has truly been a joy to watch.

What next? Scott Borthwick looks to be the next man in line, a chance to add to his only test cap from the end of the 2013/14 Ashes. He was chosen as a spinner then, but over the past few years his batting has made him stand out more - hitting three centuries this season already. As ever with England, it's a matter of finding the last pieces to complete the puzzle. There's undoubted talent there and they've come out with the result, but they're still something of a work in progress, never quite fully functioning. As it is, the questions continue.

Opportunity awaits

Every injury brings an opportunity for somebody else. This week, that opportunity will fall for Chris Woakes, after Ben Stokes was ruled out of the rest of the series against Sri Lanka with a knee injury. Whist Stokes will certainly regain his place in the team upon return from injury - such has been his impact and talismanic effect over the past year - it will give Chris Woakes a chance to dispel the many doubters of his ability at test level.

I must admit, I count myself among those doubters. But though I might have picked Jake Ball ahead of him for the rest of the series, I would love to be proven wrong. Woakes always seems to be a nice guy, and his county record is certainly worthy of him being given this opportunity at international level. Both batting and bowling averages are superior to his fellow all rounder Stokes, and just this week he recorded the exceptional figures of 9/36 against Durham. He is a man in form with the ball, which can make all the difference when coming in to the team. And though he is set to bat at number eight, with both Bairstow and Moeen Ali being promoted a place in the order, as a man with nine first class centuries - who batted at number six on test debut - he can certainly be considered as a genuine all rounder.

So why then are there still doubts? Maybe it's because the man he gets compared to the most, Ben Stokes, is such an explosive player, one who never does anything by halves. Stokes, whilst being far from the finished article, showed almost straight away that he has that 'X factor' - the ability to win matches by himself, that makes people want to sit down and watch. It's a harsh judgement to make on Woakes, as it's not really a quality that can be taught, but it's one that England hold dear in their love affair with all rounders: Ian Botham, Andrew Flintoff, Ben Stokes. Woakes isn't from the same mould. But it's hardly fair to judge him on what he's not, instead he should be judged on what he is.

Bowlers have a much tougher time of it than batsmen, and when you're on the fringes of the team it's hard to settle without instant success. Woakes' test career has been stilted, in and out of the team without having a proper chance to nail down that place. One match at the end of the 2013 Ashes series, two tests filling in for injuries in South Africa last winter. Even now his chances beyond this series may be more about what form Steven Finn can discover, than his own. It's hardly a chance to really nail down a place in the side.

For bowlers, it can often be a matter of luck. And that's something Chris Woakes often seems to lack. It's like he's still waiting for that breakthrough, the moment where it all comes together, a spell where one wicket turns to two and so on. So far things just haven't gone his way. Dropped catches haven't helped, and neither have pitches flatter than he'd be used to in the county game. But a lot of the time, he hasn't looked particularly threatening, and batsmen have just settled in against him. He has been yet to show that extra 'something' needed at test level.

Perhaps this match could be the moment that he needs. An early season pitch at Durham is sure to offer a lot for bowlers, and with Woakes in form, bowling quickly and swinging it both ways, this could be his best opportunity yet. Certainly we are yet to see the best of him at this level. Maybe this will be the time for him to make his mark.

All aboard the Bairstow bandwagon

Sometimes in cricket - or indeed any team sport - there are those certain players you feel just a bit more protective over. Maybe they're from your county, or there's something else about them that endears them to you, but you root for them just that little bit more and get more annoyed about any perceived injustices from selectors. For myself, Jonny Bairstow is one of those players. And naturally his success in the first test against Sri Lanka, and more generally over the past year, has been absolutely delightful for me.

Bairstow is one of those players who has been in and out of the England side more than most, across all formats of the game. Whilst he's clearly had the ability to pull off something special - his 41* from 21 balls on ODI debut showed that straight away - there have been plenty of stops and starts along the way. There have been the moments where he's looked every bit the international cricketer, but often too, he has struggled. His technique makes it difficult to dispel the doubters, with all that bottom hand and holding the bat in a way that looks more baseball than cricket; and the glovework still has plenty of room for improvement.

But there were still the reasons to feel he was treated a bit unfairly. Though success could be followed by setback, it wasn't always of his own making. Carrying the gloves in the Champions Trophy wasn't the ideal preparation for the Ashes series to come, and being chucked the gloves in the winter with Australia already 3-0 and ascendant was hardly an enviable task, to name some examples. Sometimes a player doesn't always help themselves, but it doesn't feel like the selectors help them too much either.

Over the last year or so though, Bairstow has been in the kind of form that makes him impossible to ignore. And now he is truly starting to deliver on his potential on the international stage. Certainly he has one of those most important qualities: the man is a fighter. Bairstow seems to specialise in those quick, counter-punchy innings when things aren't entirely going to plan, not letting the opposition settle. He also seems to specialise in mammoth partnerships: his maiden century in South Africa with Stokes hitting the ball everywhere at the other end; last year against Durham with Tim Bresnan; just a few weeks ago with Joe Root against Surrey. A position of weakness can soon be transformed into a position of strength. 140 from Bairstow here, alongside an impressive 86 from Alex Hales, certainly put the match in England's favour. Nine catches behind the stumps added extra gloss. On his home ground, Bairstow showed himself to be a Headingley hero.

While Bairstow might love playing at Headingley, that isn't always true of England's bowlers. Surprisingly for a ground with such a reputation for swing, it's always been tough going for James Anderson. Just two years ago, though with the bat, it was the scene of heartbreak against the same opposition, with the series lost as Anderson was dismissed on the penultimate ball of the match. Finally though, everything fell into place. A switch of ends was all it took, and England were on fire. Anderson took ten wickets in the match, with five in each innings, previously not having taken more than three in an innings at the ground. Broad also took four wickets in the first innings, and Finn three in the second, whilst Stokes saw some vicious swing before his match was ended by injury. It was a harsh lesson for the Sri Lankan batsman unfamiliar in such conditions.

And so, a fine win by an innings and 88 runs to begin the international summer for England. Sri Lanka bowled well, having England struggling at 83/5 before Bairstow joined Hales at the crease, but after that they barely got a sniff. England's batting remains a puzzle to be solved, though the innings by Alex Hales will offer encouragement, showing more of the discipline he needs in the test arena. The main selection dilemma will be who to replace Ben Stokes - the genuine all round option of Chris Woakes, despite a difficult time in South Africa; or a shuffle to the lower order to bring in Jake Ball, the twelfth man in the squad here who has been in fine form for Nottinghamshire this season. The second test begins in Durham on Friday, and may once again promise much for England's seamers.

A team on the rise

It was difficult to know what to expect going into the Twenty20 series, the final leg of England's tour to the UAE. England were in an experimental mode, trying out many different faces and resting the more familiar as they search for their best eleven for the World Twenty20 in March next year. Their record since the last tournament might be a good one, but before this series, it was a record based upon four matches. With many new names around the squad - as well as a rather new coach - it was a chance for many to prove themselves worthy of making the trip to India in the spring.

Match one certainly showed their intent to mix it up. Despite being in the squad, players like Root and Buttler were absent from the side, with Sam Billings taking on the keeper's gloves and James Vince making his long-awaited debut. Both made their impact, too - Billings was the top scorer with 53 from just 25 balls, whilst Vince scored 41 and helped England recover from early setbacks that left them 19/3. Partnerships were key - the recovery between Vince and Morgan (45*); the later assault with Morgan and Billings, as 65 runs came from the last six overs to bring England's total to 160.

The bowlers did their job too, another attack with different faces. Topley continued to impress early in his international career, taking 3/24; whilst Stephen Parry took two wickets in his first match since England's defeat to the Netherlands at the previous World Twenty20. Parry has long been an important part of Lancashire's Twenty20 success, and showed he has something to offer England in India where spin will be important. The pick of the bowlers though was Liam Plunkett, something of a forgotten man on this tour and playing only his second international Twenty20 after making his debut back in 2006. Plunkett took 3/21, constantly looking a threat as his pace troubled the batsmen. What perhaps hurt Pakistan most though was the run out of Umar Akmal - as both he and Sohaib Maqsood were left sliding their bat in at the same end. It was comedy cricket at its finest, and the first of three wickets to tumble in the space of six deliveries. The lower order took Pakistan close, but they had been left with an uphill struggle. England took the first match by 14 runs.

England continued to mix things up in the second match. Morgan was out of the team as Buttler captained the side for the first time, with Moeen Ali was also missing out. No one player stood out with the bat for England as several made starts, Vince top scoring with a 24-ball 38 in England's total of 172/8. With Plunkett again taking three wickets, and Rashid taking 2/18 from his four overs, England looked to be heading for a comfortable victory. The run rate was getting out of hand for Pakistan, but Pakistan had Shahid Afridi. You never know when Afridi will go full Afridi, but it happened in match two. Pakistan needed 47 to win from 18 balls; Afridi faced eight and scored 24. But Woakes held his nerve. He had taken the brunt of Afridi's attack, but took his wicket with the last ball of the 18th over, and in the final over came out on top. England secured a narrow 3-run victory, and with a match still to play, the series was theirs.

When they fell to 86/6 in the last match, they'll have been glad the series was already secure, too. Both Roy and Moeen Ali had been dismissed for golden ducks, and both Buttler and Billings were out for single figures. This time Woakes starred with the bat, hitting 37 from 24 to help England's score to a competitive 154/8, and Vince again top scored with 46 in something of an anchor role as the wickets tumbled around him. Pakistan had a rather chaotic start to their reply: Willey's first over having a boundary, four wide balls down the legside, a wicket (bowled), and then a run out after another mix up that left both batsmen at the same end. But the game was never over - Shoaib Malik making 75 from 54 and Afridi starring again with 29. Pakistan needed ten from the final over, and after Tanvir hit a six on the second ball, victory looked like theirs. But it wasn't. A dot, a single, and finally the wicket of Malik, before a bye on the last ball that left scores tied.

A super over was called for. Pakistan would bat - unsurprisingly, Afridi was their man; surprisingly, Akmal was chosen over Malik. England chose Chris Jordan as their bowler, another surprise - in the main match he hadn't taken a wicket, and was their most expensive. But his super over was bang on. The fifth ball especially was spot on, a yorker that could only be hit back to him. Pakistan could muster only three runs, and Akmal was bowled on the last ball. Afridi took the ball for Pakistan, and though it wasn't easy for England either, Morgan and Buttler saw the job through. The matches got closer and closer, but England had come away with a 3-0 win.

And so, England have cause to be optimistic for the World Twenty20. An inexperienced group of players have impressed in both the Twenty20 and ODI games in new conditions for many, and though England still might not know their best eleven yet, they'll know more about what their players can do on this stage. It might be too soon to think that they have a chance come March, but the signs are there that this is a team on the rise, and there's certainly something to look forward to in the future.

The Bell tolls

Yes, I know you're groaning as you read that title; I just couldn't resist. This week, England announced their squad for the upcoming tour of South Africa, and there was one name noticeably missing: Ian Bell. A veteran of over 100 tests, a senior figure in the team, and yet one that has struggled so much for runs over the past two years. The door has been left open for a future return to the side - and the way England's middle order has been, there is always a chance - yet at 33 years old, it's often hard for a player to come back after a drop like this.

Ian Bell has certainly been one of my favourite players for England over the past decade. There's that effortless sense of beauty about his batting, a player you could just sit and watch for hours. Just watch him play a late cut and you'll see that ease of timing, technique, and perfect placement that the rest of us can only dream of. There are those golden periods: the 2013 Ashes where his three centuries were key in the series win; average over a hundred in the summer of 2011, hitting four centuries (one a double) along the way. When he was on song, everything just looked too easy. But there as well was always the frustration. All the talent in the world, but not always the mentality to go with it. His early centuries always came once a teammate already had one on the board, and if there was a collapse he'd rarely be the man to stand up and fight. Of course, he improved with time - his resistance in Cape Town at the start of 2010 showing a different side to him - but it was a reputation that seemed always to follow him around. 118 tests show a fine career, but an average of 42.69 shows he could perhaps have made more of his talents.

And the past two years haven't been so fun to watch. The glorious summer of 2013 gave way to the whitewash of the winter, where Bell wasn't alone in struggling against the Australian bowlers. And since then it has been a mixed bag: odd centuries, odd fifties, but even more scores of nought or one. Mistakes in the field haven't helped either, with more than one dropped catch that has proved costly to the team cause. And so, a drop from the side doesn't come as a huge shock, but seeing him absent from the whole squad was a surprise. There's still the chance for him to knuckle down, make a ton of runs for Warwickshire, and force his way back into the side; but if this does turn out to be the end of his international career, it's a sad one indeed.

Of course, Bell's absence is not the only noteworthy selection or non-selection. Whilst Hales looks likely to be the next man opening alongside Cook, the inclusion of Compton shows the selectors aren't yet closing the door on anyone. With hindsight, they might be wishing they hadn't dropped him in the first place, so long has the search for an opening batsman gone on. It's a good decision: Compton has been one of the most consistent batsmen in county cricket over the past few years, and there's potential for a return at the top or at number three, his position for Middlesex. Gary Ballance also returns, and it will be interesting to see if he has adapted his game during his stint away. Bowling wise, with Wood and Finn both absent through injury, Woakes, Jordan, and Footitt come in. The omission of Plunkett is one that surprises me: after carrying the drinks in the UAE, South Africa is a place that looked made for him, and yet he has been leapfrogged by others. I am though, looking forward to seeing Mark Footitt potentially making his debut - a left-arm option and someone who has had a lot of success in the county game. Rashid also misses out with England very unlikely to need a second spinner, looking set to join up with Jason Gillespie in the Big Bash in Australia.

In the meantime, England's ODI team is on the rise. Whilst the first match saw the collapses of old, coming at both the start and the end of the innings, the next three have brought convincing victories and many impressive performances with them. There was the bowling of Topley in game one, with three wickets in the opening ten overs; Alex Hales's maiden century in the second match; the bowling of Chris Woakes at the death, with four wickets in both the second and third game; the way Taylor (67*) and Buttler (49*) chased down Pakistan's total in the third game, not the highest total to chase but coming to the crease in a far-from-easy situation; and Jason Roy making his maiden century as well in the final match, both openers really starting to flourish. And then there was Buttler.

Jos Buttler played the kind of innings that's still hard to believe, no matter how many times you watch it. He has now twice broken his own record for England's fastest ODI century, coming this time off a mere 46 deliveries. He scored in 360 degrees around the ground - giant sixes down the ground one minute, a four over the keeper's head the next. How can you set a field to that? How are mere mortals supposed to compete with that at all? This is a man who looked so bereft of any form, any confidence during the test series that he didn't play the final match. He could be a different person right now. It's his world, and we're just living in it.

If Buttler looks unrecognisable from just a few weeks ago, England's ODI cricket is looking unrecognisable from the start of the year, too. They're far from the finished article yet, but there's a lot more to be hopeful about than there ever was before. Even if ODI cricket is Pakistan's weaker format - being ranked eighth in the world - for a young England side, an away win in very unfamiliar conditions is a very good achievement. Now they will be hoping this form can extend to the Twenty20 side, with a three match series to come before the World Cup at the end of the winter.

A work in progress

It was a disappointing end to the international summer for England, as they collapsed to 138 in the deciding match of the ODI series against Australia. It was perhaps a fitting end to Australia's tour: a second half of the summer where the overall scorelines have been close, but results themselves have most often been one-sided affairs dramatically flip-flopping between the teams from one game to next. But for England, after such a debacle at the World Cup earlier in the year, an overall scoreline of 3-2 against the world champions isn't really a bad result at all.

Of course, when England went 2-0 down early on in the series, there was a slight feeling that any progress made against New Zealand earlier in the summer was slipping away. England failed to take advantage when on top at the Rose Bowl, the brilliance of Wade (71*) and Marsh (40*) seeing Australia to a total of 305/6 after being more precariously placed at 193/6 with thirteen overs to go. And after starting brightly in response, as wickets fell the pressure of a large total on the scoreboard and the greater Australian pedigree proved the winner. The second match proved much the same as the first. England chased a similar score and had a decent enough start - but when the wickets fell the pressure became too much and Australia could easily press home. It was the dismissal of Stokes - given out obstructing the field - that grabbed the most headlines, but it was hard to mask how poorly England batted on their way to 245 all out.

England though showed the series was still very much alive. At Old Trafford England batted first, their own chance to put Australia under the pressure of the scoreboard, and of batting under the lights. England reached 300, and could probably have made more - only three players made it past 20, but those three players made it count. Roy (63) got England off to a flyer, making his mark in this series after struggling to have a great impact against New Zealand; while Morgan (62) followed up his runs in the previous match and the Twenty20 preceding the series. James Taylor though was the star, making his maiden international century, justice at last after missing out with 98* in the World Cup. This time England could press the advantage, and spectacular catches from Roy and Finn further showed how the pendulum had swung in their favour. A successful chase at Headingley, thanks largely again to the bat of Morgan (92) but with contributions coming across the order, levelled the series for a final decider on return to Old Trafford.

But it just wasn't to be. It all went wrong from the first over - no review taken when Roy was dubiously given out LBW - and the wickets only continued to tumble. Morgan was forced to retire hurt after being struck on the head, a nasty blow that left him with a concussion and understandably shook all those playing and watching. All England could muster was 138, a target Australia duly chased down within 25 overs. The final crushing, one-sided affair in a summer full of such contests between the two sides.

It will be terribly disappointing for England to have been beaten so badly, and it's a shame that a summer that has seen so many dazzling highs has to end on a lower note. Australia's team for the final match was vastly different from the eleven that won the World Cup in March - seven players absent for various reasons - showing that there is still a considerable gap between the two. England, have struggled for consistency in all forms of the game this summer, capable of thrilling the crowds and running rampant on their day, but on others collapsing with the bat and struggling to make an impact with the ball. They have shown this summer that they are capable of posting big scores and chasing them down, and certainly look much less inhibited in their approach with the bat, but at the same time there's still a lingering thought that a collapse might not be that far away.

Of course, it's a team in which many are still so new to international cricket. Many of this team didn't feature in the World Cup, and are still learning their games at this level just as much as the selectors are finding out more about them. It's even the same for many who did feature earlier in the year; for instance James Taylor, who returned to the side this series after missing out against New Zealand. Though he didn't always make the most of the starts he had, for me he was particularly impressive - looking busy at the crease and looking good against spin, something England could well need in the winter. He came into the side with Joe Root rested, and did enough to show that England should try and find room for them both. Jason Roy too started to make an impact and show his big-hitting potential. With two fifties he saw England off to some quick starts, though more than once he was dismissed tamely and failed to capitalise on his early efforts. Of the bowlers, I thought Plunkett showed he has a lot to offer - his pace offers a lot to the attack plus his lower order hitting can help see through the late stages of an innings. David Willey is another who has impressed me - he's not the quickest bowler but the left arm angle gives another dimension, plus he can really get that ball moving. His attitude too is great to see - he gives it his all and is a fierce competitor.

Others though haven't had the same impact. Alex Hales has struggled for runs over this series, and though his batting ability is undoubted, right now he looks desperately out of form. He's struggled so far in his ODI career to have the same impact that he's had in the Twenty20 side, though admittedly over the winter he was often played out of position at number three rather than his usual role opening up. Against New Zealand he started to show the damage he could do at the top of the order, and for me it's only a matter of time before the partnership with Roy, already showing some signs of flowering, really reaches full bloom. Chris Woakes is another who struggled this series. With Woakes I'm never sure if he's quite got the pace to succeed at international level, and though he was one of England's more effective bowlers over the winter, during this series he didn't look very threatening at all. There's a lot to play for among the bowlers with England still looking for their preferred attack, and Woakes didn't take advantage of the opportunity presented to him, going wicketless in three games played.

Even with the stumbles along the way, it does though feel like England are making a lot of progress in the shortened formats. The World Cup was the lowest of low ebbs, a time when England looked to be so far behind the times, and the players all bereft of confidence in their abilities and of any form. The consistency is still lacking, but in general England look much more competitive, much more capable of making those big scores and playing with the freedom and fun that was so lacking before. There's definitely still a lot more to be done, but they've showed they can compete with the rest again.

Crashing out again

There was a sad inevitability about England's loss to Bangladesh today. It was the pressure match, the one they needed to win to progress to the quarter finals, and instead they find themselves already knocked out with a match still to play, against Afghanistan. They have lost all their matches against test nations, their sole victory being against Scotland, and really it's obvious to see that they don't deserve to be in the next round.

And who couldn't be happy for Bangladesh? It was a well deserved victory, a performance with both bat and ball. Mahmudullah scored Bangladesh's first ever world cup century, coming in with the team under pressure at 10/2. Mushfiqur Rahim nearly scored the country's second, scoring 89 before falling in the closing overs. And the bowling was even better - Rubel Hossain took four wickets and was the fastest bowler of the match; Mortaza and Taskin Ahmed took two apiece; the spinners held England back. And the celebrations were brilliant for what became one of Bangladesh's biggest and best days of international cricket.

But it was yet another tale of woe for England. Their bowling was better - incision at the start with two wickets, and more at the end to restrict Bangladesh in the last five overs. The result was a total of 276 runs to be chasing down - certainly gettable (and especially by the standards of this tournament), but also enough for the nerves to kick in if the wickets were to fall. Which, of course, they did. But at least they mixed it up - rather than collapsing in the middle overs to spin, they did it to pace instead for this match. What a treat. Several batsmen made starts but didn't go on, some just didn't get in at all - Morgan, again. Bell made it to 63, once again getting a start but not going on - an all too common theme in his career, and an especially bad problem for a senior player in a struggling team.

It was another case where the batsmen in the lower order were left with too much to do. Buttler is one of the leading lights of the team but he can't do the whole job by himself - and really, for him to have the full impact he could have, he should be higher up the order. He made 65 from 52, and Woakes was left stranded on 42*. They did a good job, but the top order let them down, left too much to do with too few overs and too few wickets. Like a bad dream, happening again and again and again and again.

England have simply been substandard throughout the whole tournament. With the bat there have been too many collapses, and the general mentality has been so far behind the other teams. With the ball, they've let themselves down as well: the big names of Broad and Anderson not living up to their reputations; Finn took wickets but more backward steps; bowlers generally just averaging around fifty or more. In the field, they've not been at their best. And the captaincy has turned out as conservative and disappointing as it was before.

And to think, we went in to the World Cup with a slither of optimism. They'd given us some hope, some signs of promise in the tri-series beforehand that gave us some cause for belief that they might, might just surprise us. But then it was more of the same. Another World Cup, another failure. Better luck next time.

Signs of Promise

The tri-series is drawing to a close, even if I'm still yet to write about it. I'll blame the classic Australian timezone problem, even if that doesn't bode well for me following the World Cup either. I'll do my best. As ever, the series has been a mixed bag for England - two wins against India, two losses against the hosts Australia - but they are now looking as prepared as they'll ever be for this World Cup. So here's a look at how things have been going for England in the new year.

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For starters, they've been doing much better with the ball in their hands. It helps to have players such as Anderson and Broad back in the team (though Broad has struggled to find his form so far, only picking up wickets in England's fourth match of the series), and it has meant they've finally been able to settle on their best bowling attack. They've found a solid new ball pairing of Anderson and Woakes, Anderson of course always being an asset to the side, and Woakes being a player who seems to have the knack of picking up wickets in this format. Moeen Ali, whilst not scoring the runs he would have hoped for so far in this series, has given the team a better balance and really can be seen as a genuine all rounder - providing a wicket threat, more than just holding up an end with the ball. But it's been Finn that's been the most impressive. Almost a year to the day after being sent home from England's Ashes tour, having become 'unselectable' in the eyes of the staff, Finn picked up his first ODI five wicket haul and was the key man in bowling India out for just 153 (four wickets from Anderson on his return to the side doing their fair bit too). Finding pitches far better suited to him and the rest of the pace attack has certainly helped as well, and especially when playing against India rather than Australia - India being bowled out for totals of 153 and 200 whilst Australia comfortably chased their targets of 235 and 304. But there are certainly positive signs here for England, and a fully firing Finn bodes well further into the future, too.

Batting wise, the series has seen its ups and downs for England. The first match saw them bowled out for 234 by Australia, and even then they were rescued by a timely return to form with the bat for Morgan. After a disastrous start, with England 2 wickets down after 3 balls, Morgan scored 121, the next highest score being 28 from Buttler, forced to play an uncharacteristic innings. From then on things were better, with Ian Bell making scores of 88* and 141 after returning to the team at the top of the order; Taylor continuing to settle at number three with innings of 56* and 82; Root and Buttler both making fifties. The problem is that they're not all scoring runs at the same time, and whilst batsmen have made runs, it has been a bit all or nothing. Morgan's century accounted for 121 runs out of 123 for his three innings; Root's 69 out of 77 across three innings. And even if they made 300 in the second match against Australia, after being two wickets down with ten overs left, their total should really have been a lot better, enough for them to win the match. Bopara hasn't found the runs either, and as much as I have defended him in the past, if his poor run of form continues in the World Cup then there's only so long he can stay in the side. It's not all doom and gloom, but there is still room for improvement.

But even if the results have been mixed, from what I've seen the change of captain has worked. I just think Morgan's better suited to captaining this format than Cook ever was, and even if the timing of the change wasn't ideal, it's still better late than never. It wasn't all positive of course, the second match against Australia being the obvious moment where advantages were let slip, but in general he does seem more proactive in the field - and it can't hurt that there's less media scrutiny over the captain's every move now, blackmail plots notwithstanding.

The last match saw England and India in what was effectively a semi-final, and England came through. After previous performances, they would have been favourites to win the match anyway, but this was England and they never like to make things simple. A good bowling show saw India all out for 200, and England duly fall to 66/5 in response. It's the kind of situation that England have got themselves into all too often in the past, and a situation where they can easily crumble. But a partnership shared by Taylor and Buttler saw them through, despite a slight stumble at the very end. Though too much shouldn't be read into the whole thing, it was good to see two younger members of the team pull England through in a situation they will likely face at some point during the World Cup. A promising moment, at least, even if I'd much rather they hadn't been in a situation like that in the first place. Now England find themselves with a final to play.

So what have we learnt so far in this series? Probably not all that much - it was to be expected that England would perform better on Australian surfaces as opposed to those they played on in Sri Lanka; and it still looks like they always have potential to pull of a very good display or implode on any given day. But with a stronger and settled bowling attack, the potential for a good win must be slightly higher than it was before. I'm going to rate myself as cautiously optimistic now ahead of the World Cup. Whilst I still don't think they win it, they have the chance of causing the odd upset along the way, and who knows how well they might do if they really find their feet. Or they could just as easily crash out in the first round. It's worth a watch, at least.

England's progress report

So, we have come to the end of the test summer and while it's been a bumpy ride, progress has definitely been made. Once again England have provided a rollercoaster of emotions - going from the tension and disappointment of the tests against Sri Lanka; close to rock bottom after defeat to India at Lord's; to emphatic victories in the last three tests. England have shown progress throughout the summer - but the task is not over yet and there are still plenty of areas for improvement. Here is my take on England's summer and what still needs to be done.

First of all, the captaincy. I was among those who believed Cook should go after Lord's, though still not knowing who the best man was to replace him. Thankfully, it has got better since then. The thing with Cook is that while he does have his moments where he is inventive and makes good decisions, he sometimes has long periods when he has no answers - and particularly when England are put under pressure. This was something particularly visible in the second game against Sri Lanka, when Angelo Mathews' brilliant performance took the game beyond England's reach and set up his team's eventual victory. Credit must be given to Cook though for England's recovery - he does look to have helped create a team spirit with everyone behind him, and he must have said something right for them to come bouncing back in the fashion they have after such a low ebb. He does truly have a team to lead now, not like the fracturing side of the Ashes. Yet England were barely put under any real pressure in the last three tests, so he should not rest easy yet. He still needs to have more back up plans for when England are really under pressure, as they will undoubtedly be when they come to play teams such as Australia, South Africa, and Pakistan in the coming year. But he has shown enough to stay in his job, when at times this summer it really looked like he wouldn't.

The question of the opener is still one that has gone unsolved since the retirement of Andrew Strauss in 2012. Unfortunately, the search may still continue with Robson still not having nailed down his place in the side. He did show his potential with a century and a fifty but too many times he was nervous around his off stump, that famous corridor of uncertainty where batsmen can be exposed in test cricket. He is young enough and has enough promise to come back, and I do hope he gets another chance, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him replaced in the side when England return to test cricket in the Caribbean in April. A strong showing in the one day side could help Alex Hales find his way into the test team, a move that would be popular among many; or perhaps one of the Yorkshire pair of Adam Lyth and Alex Lees could work their way in (Lyth the more likely - Lees just a bit too young). There are options for England, but the man chosen for the spot in the tour of West Indies will in all likelihood be the man they go for in the Ashes - so it will time to stick or twist.

The middle order though does look close to being solved. Gary Ballance looked at home batting at number three despite his lack of experience that high, making three fifties and three centuries and impressing in the calm way he seemed to handle it all. Bell remains a class act, and though he didn't perform to his best he is always a great player to have in the side. Joe Root put his troubled winter behind him and continued to show why he is one of the most promising young players in world cricket. Jos Buttler also showed no nerves stepping up to the test arena, and though his glovework is still a work in progress, his batting brought excitement and youthful energy; he really looks a player who can take a match away from the opposition. The only question mark so far would be over Moeen Ali, though his spin bowling has made up for his lack of runs. He showed great character against Sri Lanka, coming so close to saving the game with his century in the second innings at Headingley, but since then the runs have dried up and a concerning problem against the short ball become evident. England will have to hope he learns fast, because he will certainly be targeted next year by bowlers like Johnson and Harris, Steyn and Morkel. There's also the question of finding the right spot for Ben Stokes - despite his horrible form, number eight is still too low for him really and the right balance has to be found.

The bowling is still a work in progress - though Broad and Anderson are nailed on for England's strongest eleven, the question is about who their support should be. Steven Finn remains around the side, and if he does get back to his best then he has to be a definite pick - his pace and height are just such valuable assets and he has proven ability at international level. Of those we have seen this summer, they have all had their moments. I was pleased to see Plunkett back in the side and finding success with his nine wickets at Headingley before injury put him out of action, and looks a good option to have in the pack. Stokes is an exciting player, a genuine all rounder, and though his batting fell apart I was surprised to see him dropped after doing well in the two tests he played against India - particularly after batting at number eight anyway. Jordan is a player who looks to have something about him and a knack of picking up wickets, though he is still a work in progress with consistency an issue. Woakes is the one I'm least sure about - I'm just not sure he has that extra quality to take wickets at international level (or at least tests - he could fit into the ODI team). But I must say he has seemed to improve with every test, and also didn't always have the luck he deserved. I think generally they have a good crop of young bowlers who it is worth sticking with, and it's good to see that there are several in their plans because with 17 tests in twelve months coming up, rotation will be important.

With spin bowling it does look like England have found an answer as to who should replace Graeme Swann. Moeen Ali has improved as the summer has gone on, going from someone only seen as a part timer at the start of the summer to now being viewed as a genuine front line bowler. The way he has adapted to this level has been impressive; he has taken on advice from other players and people in the game to find what works best, and the results have been visible. Filling the boots of Graeme Swann, one of England's most successful spinners ever, was always going to be a difficult task but he has done a good job of it so far and played a large role in England's victories. He is no world beater yet, but has done away with the doom and gloom foreseen when looking at England's apparently bare spin cupboard at the start of the summer.

The bigger challenges are yet to come for England, and it won't be surprising to see many more bumps along the way with next year's Ashes and tours to South Africa and Pakistan to come within a twelve month period. But there is certainly hope - there are a good young bunch of players who have really started to perform, and that much sought after team spirit looks to have returned. The misery of the start of the year, and of points during the summer, is starting to be dispelled and as fans we have something to cheer about once again. England's jigsaw isn't yet complete - one series win does not make them world beaters - but maybe, just maybe, the pieces are starting to fall into place.

England surge; India crumble

Today, India's batting collapsed again. It has now been four innings in a row with a score under 200, and today's was the worst of the lot as they could only muster 148 - and that was including a counter-attacking innings of 82 from Dhoni, containing 15 fours and a six. The next highest score was Murali Vijay's 18. This time round it only took four balls for the first wicket to fall, four balls for the misery to set in. Vijay was the only one of the top five to make double figures - even Rahane falling for a duck this time - and again India were five wickets down before lunch with the prospects of a series-levelling win disappearing before them. Some small slices of luck came their way to prevent being dismissed for under three figures - an edge behind by Dhoni so slight that even the fielders didn't pick it up, and Bell dropping a regulation slip catch from Sharma. Dhoni's answer was to come out swinging, and he did find success, but even then it was not enough to save the innings. A last wicket partnership of 58 may have taken some of the sheen off for England, but it will be difficult for them to complain with India's total of 148.

Where it could be argued that at Old Trafford, England's supporting pair of bowlers in Jordan and Woakes eased the pressure on India, being more expensive with the ball and not offering the same wicket threat, here came more of a team effort among the bowlers. Jordan's first two overs saw two wicket maidens - a sequence of four wickets in 14 balls when added to his two in two to finish off the last test - and then picking up the wicket of Kumar after lunch. Woakes was also in the wickets either side of the break, finally finding himself with some luck and removing Vijay, Ashwin, and Aaron. The pair took six wickets between them, and also both bowled seven maidens out of the fourteen they each bowled, maintaining the pressure after the opening spells of Broad and Anderson. It was a long time before India's run rate made its way above two an over, only Dhoni's attack able to lift it there. Though Jordan was at times inconsistent (though mostly unpunished), England will nevertheless be pleased with the pair's display - after looking like the weak links in the attack at Old Trafford and Southampton, here they took the main spoils in another strong bowling display.

England's batsmen didn't necessarily find it easy going either, but found luck more on their side. Cook survived a couple of close LBW appeals, and should really have been out with one going on to hit the middle stump. Robson also had the odd streaky shot, one going through where fourth slip might have been. It was good to see a solid opening stand from England, something that has been missing this summer with the pair struggling for form. It will also have done a world of good for Sam Robson, who has been the latest player under scrutiny after his struggles with the bat - particularly around the off stump. To have made a start and survived over night will give him an opportunity to build an innings on what looks to be a sunnier day tomorrow, in what could be make-or-break time ahead of the next test tour to the West Indies and the Ashes series in the summer beyond. Likewise, Alastair Cook will be hoping to take his opportunity and end that ever-growing run without a century. The pair were not bogged down in the way India had been, Robson in particular often finding the boundary, and made their way to the close of play at 62/0.

It leaves England once again in a thoroughly dominant position, well and truly favourites to take this final test and wrap up the first series win of this 'new age'. For India, it continues a horrible turn of events since their victory at Lord's; in many ways it feels like completely different sides are now playing. What could have been an exciting series between two young sides with much to prove on a world stage has since turned one-sided, India's struggles as bad as they were in 2011. Problems can be found in several areas - the batting has been frail, players like Kohli and Pujara not filling their boots; team selection a revolving door - the question of whether to go for five bowlers or four looking a constant issue; Dhoni's captaincy at times questionable - for example his insistence on leg slips. For now, it is advantage to England once again.