CWC 2019, SWOT Analysis – England
England heads into the 2019 World Cup back in their own yard, as the overwhelming favourites to clinch their maiden trophy. The conditions which are currently prevalent in England suit them perfectly, with flat batting decks all around the country. With the array of big hitters which they currently have at their disposal, they are unarguably the most dangerous side heading into the tournament.
They also have some glaring weaknesses in their unit, with the bowling department looking incapable of containing the opposition to low scores on pitches which are conducive to batting.
Taking into consideration all the strengths and weaknesses which the current crop of English players have, we do a SWOT analysis of the 15-man squad:
Squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, James Vince, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid, Chris Woakes, Liam Plunkett, Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood.
Strengths –
To put it in simple terms, no team can match the destructive batting ability which the current England team has. Their batting order is brimming with quality and is full of match-winners. Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy go all guns blazing at the top of the order and set the tempo. In Joe Root, they have one of the best batters in the world, who plays the anchor role. Skipper Morgan is one of the most flexible players in the game and can alter his batting style according to the situation. Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali provide balance to the side, contributing both with the bat and the ball. Their tail consists of the likes of Chris Woakes, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid and Mark Wood, with all of them being more than handy with the bat. And finally, the trump card in their batting line-up – Jos Buttler. There isn’t a more pure striker of the ball in ODI cricket right now and Buttler has developed into one of the finest limited-overs players of all-time. In the final overs, there is hardly anyone more destructive than him and he has consistently finished the job at the end for England. This batting line-up is tailor-made to put up some mammoth scores on the board.
Weaknesses –
As strong as their batting line-up is, their bowling attack does not inspire much confidence. Such was the dire situation which the team management found themselves in, that they had to make drastic changes to the squad which they initially announced. Despite criticisms in some quarters, the raw ability of Jofra Archer was too much to ignore. Archer will give the pace bowling attack some much-needed penetration which it sorely lacks. They have also decided to add Dawson to give them some backup in the spin-bowling department. Despite the additions, England’s bowlers will have to perform out of their skins in order to restrict their opponents, with conditions being heavily favourable to the batsmen. Having conceded a score of over 350 four times in their last two series’, the bowling remains a worry. By picking up Archer and Dawson, the selectors have all but admitted this fact and will be hoping that the two can add some much-required missing edge to a seemingly blunt attack.
Opportunities –
This is perhaps the best opportunity for England to rectify their wrongs over the years. Being the founders of the game, they have been perennial underperformers at the World Cup, often failing to inspire and are yet to win a single trophy. The approach by the management after the debacle at the 2015 edition has been remarkably brilliant, which has completely brought a turnaround in fortunes. In the following four years, they have undoubtedly become the best side in the ODI format of the game, which has reflected on their current rankings as well as their status of being the favourites in the 2019 edition. Playing in their own backyard, the English cricket team could well make the world-famous football anthem of ‘It’s Coming Home’ their very own at the end of the tournament.
Threats –
The weight of expectations on their shoulders. They have been made the firm favourites to lift the trophy and how they cope up with it will be a big factor in the final result. Their formidable batting order is also bound to have an off day during the tournament and they will be hoping that such a situation does not arise in a knockout game. The likes of India and Australia are also well-rounded units and they will pose a big threat to England’s supremacy, especially with their quality bowling attacks. Surpass these hurdles along with rectifying a couple of chinks in their armour and glory is well and truly in sight for this current crop of English players.
