Six lessons for England from the one-day whitewash of Bangladesh

By Steve James Published: 6:31PM GMT 06 March 2010

Happy men: England applaud with the prize for their 3-0 win opposite Bangladesh Photo: AP

1 Alastair Cook is a decent substitute skipper, positively not the flapping, captaining-by-committee beginner he rught away appeared when skippering a Twenty20 general last autumn.

And his one-day batting has softened markedly. His assertive vigilant was regularly obvious, even if it was often destined at the leg-side, and it was a pleasant surprise. Needed a century, though, for there to be any thought of easy both him and Andrew Strauss in the same ODI side.

England hang up varnish Kieswetter on tip of universe Scyld Berry: Bangladesh not a correct exam Cook hails Kieswetter and Morgan Sport on radio The Observer, at the National Theatre - examination

2 Eoin Morgan can set upon a cricket round with conspicuous timing and power. He played utterly distinctively in the second compare to save his side from complete embarrassment.

But you"d think he"d single-handedly seen off Australia in a World Cup last such was the reaction. He was twice out lbw (the umpiring in the total array was zero short of abysmal), but not given. And a little of the comparisons have been laughable. Neil Fairbrother? Morgan is at slightest 10 times stronger. Michael Bevan?

Well, let"s usually goal Morgan is a improved bloke and that he can in the future have a improved fist of Test cricket, but for right away an normal of twenty-four in the wholly assuage second multiplication of the county championship last deteriorate rather precludes that. Graham Thorpe? No. Thorpe played the round late and was skilful at nudging singles.

Morgan plays it early and relies on sweeps and retreat sweeps to give the clarity he plays turn well (I"m still not wholly assured he does). But he positively reverse-sweeps with shocking speed of hand.

3 Craig Kieswetter is here to stay. Chronically shaken and spurning substantial fitness at first, he recovered to register a mightily considerable primary hundred on Friday.

No make a difference that he didn"t essentially fool around the sort of innings compulsory in Middle East (utilising the primary powerplay overs); in truth the sort he was essentially comparison for.

Rather it was an innings that can hopefully concede him to perform that sort of purpose in the future, the sort of innings Joe Denly never utterly managed. Just a thought, though: I consternation how Denly competence have finished opposite these second-raters in Bangladesh?

4 A box of sinistrophobia has been diagnosed. I suspect, negative know, that Kevin Pietersen hasn"t listened of the word, but he will positively be wakeful that he keeps removing out to left-arm spinners.

Whether he is frightened unbending of them is rather a opposite matter. It has even led to speak of omission. What nonsense. The item is that he was really not out in the primary match, got a beauty in the second and probably wasn"t out in the third. Somebody is going to pay. Soon.

5 Of the join bowlers Tim Bresnan is right away a really utilitarian and determined general one-day cricketer and Ajmal Shahzad showed a little skiddy promise.

But Ryan Sidebottom contingency never fool around for England again. Nothing personal, but his time in the object was an horrible prolonged time ago now. Put simply, his physique can"t cope.

Injuries are a bowler"s weight and most as well most has been review in to England"s stream predicament (Australia have a couple of quicks sore too), but Sidebottom is a opposite case. Sadly I"ve created this a couple of times before. And even some-more sadly, conviction of the blind accumulation has remained. Enough.

6 The poke for a second spinner at subsequent year"s World Cup stays unsolved. James Tredwell, great bloke and decent county cricketer that he is, is not the answer. Certainly dual off-spinners are not the answer.

It is a great contrition that the outcast Samit Patel is such a quiescent so-and-so. Imagine him batting at No 6, with Matt Prior at No 7 and Luke Wright one below.

As it is, you clarity England are one genuine batsman light. Certainly a spinner light when they usually played Tredwell in one of the 3 matches.