Australia are comfortably the best ODI side in the world, having stormed to a World Cup win just months ago. England, meanwhile, are a perennially poor 50-over outfit and were a laughing stock at that tournament.
Yet the upcoming five-match series between these teams is very difficult to pick, with both nations fielding line-ups massively different to those seen at the World Cup.
For various reasons, gone from Australia’s World Cup winning side are captain Michael Clarke, keeper Brad Haddin, opening batsman Aaron Finch, key pacemen Mitchell Johnson and Josh Hazlewood, and, most crucially, the world’s best ODI all-rounder James Faulkner.
From their World Cup line-up, England have shed supreme batsman Joe Root, veteran quicks Stuart Broad and James Anderson, experienced batsman Ian Bell and top order player Gary Ballance.
After years of fielding a safe side which played antiquated, conservative ODI cricket, England finally have a line-up capable of producing exhilarating cricket.
Their five-match series against New Zealand prior to the Ashes was one of the most dramatic and engrossing seen between any two sides in years. The good will it spawned among the English public was lapped up by the home players, many of whom had limited exposure to the spotlight of international cricket.
Opposed to the talent-stacked and ultra-aggressive Kiwis, England relished the challenge and played largely without fear or restraint. Most noticeably, their batting was unrecognisable from the plodding efforts so often witnessed when the side was littered with players better suited to Tests like Bell, Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott.
In Jason Roy and Alex Hales they have a dynamic opening pair capable of scorching the outfield and peppering the crowd with sixes. While both still have a lot to prove as ODI batsmen their cavalier approaches will challenge Australia’s bowling.
This approach is mirrored by the likes of batsman Sam Billings and all-rounders Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali, with more cultured styles provided by captain Eoin Morgan and the sturdy James Taylor.
Among the England bowlers, Australia have seen a bit of Steven Finn with the white ball but are unfamiliar with the offerings of quicks David Willey and Mark Wood, and leggie Adil Rashid. Crucially, England’s line-up is punctuated by players who have not been repeatedly bullied by Australians in coloured clothing.
Over the past five years, England have a shocking 8-16 win-loss record against Australia in the ODI format. The last time they hosted Australia in an ODI series, after the 2013 Ashes, the visitors triumphed 2-1 with two matches called off due to rain.
But these are two totally different teams, with England having tailored their unit to the format and Australia without four members of their first-choice XI.
While the tourists undoubtedly will miss the all-round brilliance of Faulkner, the intimidation factor of Johnson, the frugalness of Hazlewood and the familiarity of Finch’s opening partnership with Warner, they still will field a very strong team.
For many years now Australia have had phenomenal depth of talent in 50-over cricket.
This is underlined by the fact that, even with six players missing from the World Cup winning XI, there still was no room in this squad for prolific batsman Usman Khawaja, who has 2378 runs at an average of 48 in List A cricket.
The side Australia fielded for their ODI against Ireland yesterday had a very deep batting line-up, with keeper Matthew Wade listed at eight. It is Australia’s bowling which looks more vulnerable in this series against England.
Johnson may have struggled in the Ashes but he remains one of the elite ODI bowlers in the world, while Hazlewood’s accuracy and crafty varieties made him the perfect partner for Mitchell Starc and Johnson.
No player poses a greater threat to England than Starc. Indisputably the best ODI bowler in the world, Starc is fresh from a jaw-dropping World Cup in which he routinely scythed through top orders with his express pace and late swing.
The new English batsmen have never encountered a bowler like him. That will be just one of many fresh and fascinating battles which will unfold over the next two weeks. It shapes as a surprising and engrossing series.
matth
Guest
Hear hear! You cannot confuse Watson's test form with his ODI performances. He has always been a great limited overs player
matth
Guest
Sandhu is a good call and is obviously being groomed for the future in the A tours. My only problem with your comment is that Johnson has never had a good limited over record. I think you need to look again. His ODI record is very good. Even when he was bowling like blind man in tests his ODI record was good, mainly because batsmen have to play at the ball sliding across them, which they leave in tests. Add to that his 90+ batting strike rate, and Johnson still has plenty to offer in ODI's. NCN, Johnson, Starc, Cummins should be the main guys, with Sandhu as a useful back up. Bird has never really been seen as an option, especially given his batting is poor compared to the others. Pattinson has leaked runs whenever he has played ODI's. I see him as more of a red ball bowler.
JimmyB
Guest
I really couldn't tell you tbh. I would doubt it though as England's 'new exciting style' is better suited to flat decks and just scoring more than the opposition which might be tricky on a green top.
JimmyB
Guest
Are you 12? You do like a lol and a haha don't you?
Zim Zam
Roar Rookie
It didn't carry over into the Fifth Test.
ajay
Guest
"however they were strong favourites in the Ashes too," lol aus away test record is poor but odis ?? best team in the world ! last oct, in uae odi series aus won 3-0 and lose test 2-0."so it probably doesn’t pay to be a cocky so and so, otherwise you might end up with egg on your face." like after every wc humiliation ! jimmyB frustration?? and bell England's record ODI run-scorer "Ian Bell who has just retired from ODIs to concentrate on Test match cricket. He retired with an average of just under 38, which is actually very respectable in ODIs"ENG odi great " kohli &smith legend than ?? hahhahhah
craig watson
Roar Rookie
Do you reckon the decks will be screaming seamers for the ODI as well Jimmy?
craig watson
Roar Rookie
I believe Stoinis could bat in the top six. Not certain Faulkner will. Stoinis needs to get more potency into his bowling. Will be a very usual limit ed overs playe r when he does. Reckon he could also play test cricket at some stage. Needs to have another solid shield season and start converting fifties into hundreds.
JR Salazar
Guest
England will win. The Ashes victory will carry over into this series.
vineet kumar
Roar Rookie
Aussie odi squad looks pretty much balanced..although i would love to add Chris Lynn and James Faulkner(obviously).Now my squad for 1st odi- Warner,Burns,Smith(c),Stoinis,Marsh,Maxwell,Wade(wk),Agar,Starc,Cummins,N C Nile. Stoinis must play ,selectors must find a place for him.Because this could be the last chance for him.(given he is 26 ) and Faulkner coming back.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Mitch Johnson is still a great ODI bowler, although he will turn 34yo soon and as an express bowler he will soon have to make a decision on whether to start shedding short form cricket to prolong his Test career.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
"I also think it is ridiculous that we’re going in with two pace bowling all rounders but we can’t find a place for a full time spinner. I still think Lyon could be a great addition to the ODI side in the right conditions." Spot on. Unless Australia are playing on a lightning WACA deck I think they always should play a specialist spinner. Agar bowled brilliantly for Australia A in the recent tri-series in India and would be brimming with confidence right now. Play one of Watson or Marsh (I'd lean towards Marsh) at 6, with Wade at 7 and Agar at 8. Beyond this series I think Lyon really deserves a proper crack at ODIs. The control, flight and craftiness he displayed in the Ashes against a team which long planned to target him was indicative of a player tailor made for ODI cricket. In his last stint in the side, Lyon played six ODIs and took 10 wickets at an average of 25. He bowled beautifully and really added to the attack. How he was then dropped for Doherty for the World Cup is just bemusing.
JimmyB
Guest
Thanks for that insight, it's quite clear why you're a Guru.
JimmyB
Guest
I'm not sure what you're trying to say with 'belll (5,134)' because I'm not sure how that figure relates to Ian Bell who has just retired from ODIs to concentrate on Test match cricket. He retired with an average of just under 38, which is actually very respectable in ODIs, however he never really fulfilled his potential. Your comments on Roy and Billings aren't really worth responding to tbh, they've literally just started their respective ODI careers with a winning series against the WC finalists NZ. Australia will be strong favourites in the series, however they were strong favourites in the Ashes too, so it probably doesn't pay to be a cocky so and so, otherwise you might end up with egg on your face. England have rested Root who has been excellent recently in ODIs and for some reason have not selected Bairstow who was MOTM in his last ODI. Starc is the key for Oz IMO as he's an absolute gun ODI bowler, but I imagine that it'll a be an interesting series, despite your arrogance.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
Do you understand how stats work? You are making no sense. That's a very fine record in anyone's books with the flat tracks these days.
ak
Roar Guru
England is poor in ODIs
ajay
Guest
lol ! don't get me wrong against kiwi's billings was terrible and roy was lyth of odis. " so I can’t see any real reason to expect it to be pathetic in the ODIs if they go with some combo of Broad,Finn,and Anderson" hahaha what happened in world cup? wood is decent though. stokes,buttler&morgan(all are gun odi players) and jimmyB i guess pom's leading odi player ian belll (5,134) hahaaaaaah they are poor old joke in odi full stop. aus 5-0 or 4-1. still????
Zim Zam
Roar Rookie
Yeah, I'm not really sure what he's saying either. I do think the bowling line-up Australia had against Ireland is rather less than tried and tested and possibly lacking the balance of a reliable containing bowler - it will be interesting to see what the selectors do and how they go. And England's bowling in the Tests was very good, so I can't see any real reason to expect it to be pathetic in the ODIs if they go with some combo of Broad, Finn, Wood and Anderson (if he's fit). All in all, looks like we're in for an interesting series. Hopefully one a little closer than the Thrashes.
Zim Zam
Roar Rookie
Since when was 25 was a mediocre bowling average? Or 4.83 a particularly bad ODI economy rate? If all your bowlers went at 5 an over, the opposition would only be scoring 250, which is hardly a dominant score. To be honest, mate, I'm not convinced you've offered any evidence that Johnson's limited overs record is average apart from the fact that you think it is.
Zim Zam
Roar Rookie
He was average in the first half of the World Cup, he was dropped, he came back in the middle order and he hasn't failed since. Did he have to be Man of the Series to merit inclusion? And I'm guessing he got to an ODI career average of 40 by scoring 5686 in 166 innings, with 9 hundreds and 33 fifties. While taking 166 wickets at an average of 31.87. As long as you've got an all-rounder with 187 ODIs under his belt who averages 40 and 31, is in form and is happy to play, I don't really see why he has to be 'yesterday's hero', to be honest.