England
ICC ODI RANKING: 1st
Batters/Fielders: Eoin Morgan, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (WK), Joe Denly, Joe Root, Jason Roy
Bowlers: Tom Curran, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid
All Rounders: Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes, David Willey
Don’t Sleep On:
–Tom Curran: Tom’s success has been getting overlooked recently by his younger brother’s breakout IPL season, but that doesn’t mean Tom is a slouch. His 18 wickets in 13 matches are nothing to scoff at, especially when you consider the competition was Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies.
– Chris Woakes: The leader of England’s pace attack, Woakes must lead from the front. By taking early wickets, Woakes can put England on a favorable path. He’ll also be the one expected to hold it down at the death.
– Joe Root: It’s hard to say not to sleep on a player of Root’s caliber, but go with me here. Root is unquestionably a top four test batsmen in the world. With the rest of the English lineup seemingly taking a more T20 style approach to their batting, it will be up to Root to steady the ship and play the long game.
Needed to Make a Run:
– Jonny Bairstow: Can he keep his hot streak from the IPL going into a different format on a bigger stage? If so, England is going to be an absolute FORCE while batting.
–Jos Buttler: While Buttler isn’t having the same results as his fellow wicketkeeper, his ability to drop a 50 or 100 on you is only matched by a few others in the world. I don’t think it matters who’s behind the wicket, as England would be wise to keep both of these players in the lineup.
Key to the Cup:
– Ben Stokes: The all-rounder has been up and down this IPL season and can’t seem to find his consistency. England wants to make a deep run this tournament, and Stokes can be that difference maker. England has elite talent on both the batting and bowling side, but Stokes’ potential to be elite at both makes him a potential tournament changer.
Why Should I Watch?
The host nation has won the past two World Cups, can England keep the streak going? Watching them and how they handle that pressure is one of the major storylines of this tournament. Morgan and his boys are ranked #1 in the world rankings, so they’re entering the tournament as favorites.
How Fun is This Team? (10/10)
They swing for the fences when attacking, almost to a reckless degree. Their bowling attack is strong but not overpowering, so expect them to score a lot and hold on for dear life when defending a chase.
Best Case
The World Cup trophy comes home to England for the first time! This is the only result that will satisfy English fans. This team is peaking at the right time and it’s golden ODI generation and playing style makes this tournament all or nothing.
Worst Case
World Cup 2015 ring a bell, anyone? While this team is much stronger than that one, a similar result isn’t out of the question. While I think this team has what it takes to make a deep run, the expectation of winning the cup on home soil is a lot to handle.
Final Prediction
I expect a deep run from this England team. The batting attack is strong when it’s clicking and playing on their home soil will give them a similar boost it gave New Zealand four years ago.
The American Slogger 