Old foes England and Australia renew their rivalry once again as the five-match ODI series gets underway at Lord’s on Friday. The current tour consists of only limited over internationals and does not feature the traditional Ashes series and hence is not as hyped up.
England, however, will not be bothered by the less hype surrounding the series. Having made a strong start to the summer against West Indies, the hosts will be keen in making an impression early in the series.
Moreover, with England’s much talked-about rotation policy in use earlier, the players should feel at full strength and fresh for the challenge. Alastair Cook will lead the team after impressive performances against Pakistan and West Indies.
The key for England will be in their bowling department with James Anderson and Stuart Broad expected to be at full throttle while Graeme Swann has previously troubled the Aussies as well. England will look to remain unfazed by Shane Watson’s jibe at England team’s composition, putting the hosts team balance into question.
Australia start the series as the No. 1 team in ODIs, though a horrendous result could cost them badly. In their build up to the series, they faced Ireland though the match was washed out after a handful of overs. The strongest performance, though, came against Essex when they won by 179 runs.
Michael Clarke, the captain, and David Hussey struck half-centuries and both will hold a significant role in the middle-order while Shane Watson’s all-round abilities will be a huge asset to the team as well.
The bowlers have been wayward at times but looked in good control under helpful conditions, with Brett Lee racking up decent pace while Pat Cummins picked up three wickets.
The match will be played at Lord’s in London where gusty winds and potential rain could prove to be an important factor that the teams will look to overcome.