LONDON, (Reuters) – England have no hope of winning next year’s World Cup because of their “old-fashioned” approach to the one-day game, according to former spinner Graeme Swann.
Swann, who retired from international cricket during the 5-0 Ashes series defeat in Australia in December, believes the one-day team need to do away with the old guard in favour of exciting new talent if they are to succeed in the 50-over format.
Swann said captain Alastair Cook, who is set to lead the side at the 50-over tournament in Australia and New Zealand in February, should just concentrate on skippering the test team.
“We won’t win this World Cup,” Swann, who took 104 wickets in 79 one-day internationals, told BBC radio yesterday. “In four years’ time, we might have a chance if we get in all the exciting players who have none of the baggage of the old-style brand we play.
“I used to sit in the changing room and always felt we were so far behind other teams because we play such an old-fashioned brand.” Cook, who has scored 2,967 ODI runs, should step aside and let Eoin Morgan lead the team, Swann said.
“I love Cookie dearly.”But I don’t think he should be bothering playing one-day cricket anymore. He doesn’t need to. He’s proved a very good point in test matches.
“He should just enjoy being England test captain. Let in the young people who just want to smash it everywhere.
“He’s not the guy who should be opening the batting in one-day cricket for England. (James) Vince should be doing it with (Alex) Hales in a young vibrant team with Morgan as captain.”
Swann spoke after England’s opening one-day international of a five-match series against India was abandoned without a ball being bowled in Bristol due to heavy rain.
The match was due to see talented opener Alex Hales make his ODI debut for England. The 25-year-old is a regular in the country’s Twenty20 team and Swann believes his call up to the 50-over side is long overdue. “Hales should have been in this side for two or three years,” he said.
“He got 99 in a T20 international against West Indies at Trent Bridge. How did the powers-that-be not see that as the future of one-day opening bat?
“Cook, (Ian) Bell and (Gary) Ballance are not players who will win you a World Cup. Hales will, as will James Vince, Jason Roy, Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler.
“They are players I wouldn’t want to bowl at. Players who could potentially get you 360/370 on the board.”
England play India, world champions in the 50-over format of the game, in the second ODI of their series in Cardiff tomorrow.
