The James Anderson factor

One of the key features of the 2011 World Cup was the number of overs bowled by spinners. In 49 matches, they bowled 1983.3 overs; the previous-highest in a World Cup was 1350, in 51 matches in the 2007 tournament in the West Indies. Spinners bowled plenty of overs with the new ball too - 402.2 within the first 15 overs of an innings, up from 86.2 in 2007, and 105 in 2003.

In 2015, though, things are likely to be different. With two new balls around, and pitches which offer a little more pace and bounce, fast bowlers are likely to be more influential, especially at the start of the innings. Teams with a more potent new-ball attack should be able to impose themselves on matches more often, and in that aspect, England should be well served this time around, with James Anderson leading the way.

In 2011, England were the least incisive team with the new ball, among the top sides. They managed seven wickets within the first ten overs, conceding 54.57 runs per wicket, and 5.45 runs per over. In terms of average and economy rate, the only side that did worse than England was Netherlands, taking four wickets at 86.75 and an economy rate of 5.78 runs per over. South Africa were the most incisive bowling team in the first ten, taking 14 wickets at 22.14, while Pakistan were the most economical, conceding 3.71 per over. England were far away from those benchmarks on both counts. Tim Bresnan was the only England bowler to make a mark with the new ball, taking four of England's seven wickets, at an average of 22.50. Anderson took a solitary wicket, conceding 93 runs in 17 overs, while Stuart Broad went wicketless, conceding 47 in eight overs. James Tredwell, the offspinner, picked up two wickets in two overs.

In the two years leading to this World Cup, though, England have been the best bowling team in the first ten overs, taking 79 wickets at an average of 28.54, marginally better than South Africa's 76 wickets at 28.82. Anderson has been at the forefront of England's new-ball attack, taking 22 wickets in 112 overs at an average of 17, a far cry from one wicket in 17 overs during the 2011 World Cup.

England's problem - and South Africa's advantage - has been their bowling in the rest of the innings. In the middle overs (between the 11th and 40th), they concede almost 40 runs per wicket, which is among the highest of all teams, while in the last ten they go at more than eight runs per over, worse than all teams except Zimbabwe. South Africa, on the other hand, average less than 30 runs per wicket in the middle overs, and concede 6.91 per over in the last ten, the best among all teams.

Chris Woakes has been England's most regular bowler in the death overs, and has taken 15 wickets in 222 balls, but has also conceded 336 runs, an economy rate of 9.08 per over. Bresnan, Broad and Steven Finn have all gone at more than 8.3, and they've all contributed to England's poor economy rate at the end of an innings.

South Africa, on the other hand, have had three outstanding bowlers at the death: Dale Steyn has taken 15 wickets at an average of 18 and economy rate of 6.94, Morne Morkel has 20 wickets at an economy rate of 7.16, and Imran Tahir's ten wickets have come at an average of 20.20 and an economy rate of 5.29.

All of those numbers in the second part of an innings combine to make South Africa the best bowling team over the last couple of years: they average 27.72 runs per wicket, almost four runs fewer than the next-best side. They are also one of only two teams to concede less than five runs per over. Clearly, their ability to perform well at all stages of an innings makes them especially formidable, as it's a skill that some of the other teams lack.

Coming back to the first ten overs, it's obvious that England have a champion performer in Anderson. His ability to swing the new ball both ways with no discernible change in action, plus his impeccable control against both right and left-handers makes him a handful, especially in favourable conditions. Among the top wicket-takers in the first ten overs in ODIs over the last couple of years, Anderson's numbers stand out. He averages 16.40 at an economy rate of 3.22, while the next best average is 25, and the next best economy rate 4.1.

The other England bowlers aren't in the same league: Finn has 11 wickets in the first ten overs at 33, Chris Woakes has eight at 39.50, and Broad has seven at 40.70. The gulf between Anderson and the other England bowlers was again painfully apparent in the tri-series in Australia over the last couple of weeks: in the four matches he played, Anderson took 3 for 52 from 20 overs in the first ten - an average of 17.33, and economy rate of 2.60; the other England bowlers - Woakes, Broad and Finn - had combined figures of 1 for 176 from 30 overs.

The opening-partnership stats against each team is further indication that facing England's new-ball attack - Anderson, particularly - is one of the most challenging tasks for an opening pair. The average opening partnerships are the least against England and South Africa, while it's one of the highest against India.

For opposition teams, the message when playing England is clear: while Finn was excellent in a couple of games against India in the tri-series, the consistent threat in the line-up is Anderson. See him off, and especially in the first ten overs, and life will get considerably easier thereafter.