Disjointed batting line-up for England's one-day zeroes

FROM Ashes heroes to one-day zeroes. England have been brought down to earth in the current series against Australia.

While the Test side seems to be heading in the right direction, the one-day side is another kettle of fish altogether and look a long way off being able to compete with the best in the world.

The bowling unit looks decent but the batting line-up looks like it’s been chucked together without any real thought. Once you get past captain Andrew Strauss at the top of the innings, the rest of the order is questionable, bordering on the bizarre. Joe Denly partnered him and made 11 on Saturday, and although he needs to be given time, I’m not sure he’s the right man for the job.

Then you come to the shambolic middle order. Ravi Bopara struggled as an opener in the first three games and doesn’t look particularly comfortable at three either. Number three is a key role and currently a problem position for England in both one-day and Test cricket. Somehow we managed to win the Ashes series with Bopara batting there in four out of the five Tests, while Ian Bell has also always looked better down the order.

For me, Kevin Pietersen has to take on the role in all forms when he gets back to full fitness. He might have had doubts about playing there in the past, but the extra responsibility might be exactly what he needs to get the best out of himself and achieve his ambition of becoming the best batsman in the world – something he is far from being at the moment.

Matt Prior started his ODI career as an opening batsman and obviously the England selectors didn’t think it worked so moved him all the way down to number three and now four. If not considered good enough to open, surely Prior would be better off down the order at six or seven?

England have also severely under-estimated the role of the finisher in the one-day side. The great Australian sides over the past 10 or 15 years have had Michael Bevan and more recently Michael Hussey. Owais Shah seemed to be flourishing when he took on that role for England so what happened? He was promoted up the order where he has made little impact ever since.

Luke Wright has only showed occasional glimpses to justify comparisons to Andrew Flintoff as an all-rounder and overall England seem have too many bits and pieces players.

There is also the strange omissions of Jonathan Trott, a player in fine form after scoring a century in his first Test to help bring back the little urn, and Dimitri Mascarenhas, an effective bowler and destructive lower order batsman who strikes the ball as powerfully as anyone in the world.