New-look England can scoop ODI series
England may have lost their last two one-day series, both against New Zealand, but I believe they have a serious opportunity to upset the higher-ranked South Africans in the next fortnight, writes Duncan Fletcher in the Guardian .
George Binoy
25-Feb-2013
England may have lost their last two one-day series, both against New Zealand, but I believe they have a serious opportunity to upset the higher-ranked South Africans in the next fortnight, writes Duncan Fletcher in the Guardian.
It will help Kevin Pietersen that one-day captaincy is nowhere near as complicated as the Test job. There is a decision to be made about when to take your Powerplays and there is the occasional question about which men to keep in the circle, but otherwise the job runs itself far more easily than in five-day cricket. I also think South Africa have got two huge holes to fill in their bowling attack. Shaun Pollock and Charl Langeveldt are no longer there, and they had this knack of landing the ball on a length in the one-day game.
Alex Parker doesn't share the same view in the Johannesburg-based Times.
Pietersen is likely to bring a little enthusiasm for the game and will no doubt put a rocket up those English players who can’t lift themselves for the series. I still don’t think it’ll be enough. South Africa, brimming with confidence and swagger, should take the series with ease. My only real concern is the form of Jacques Kallis.
George Binoy is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo