The Ashes 2013: Five England players to watch out for

The Ashes urn which is the trophy that England and Australia compete for in cricket Test matches

England are better prepared than ever for the Ashes this year and the only factor that can prevent them from winning the historic tournament for the third consecutive time this year is complacency. They have arguably the best Test side in the world and with the return of Kevin Pietersen, their batting strength looks far superior to that of the dwindling Australians. They have the best swing bowler in the world in James Anderson and a quality spinner in Graeme Swann who can exploit Australia’s weakness on supportive tracks. They will also take their share of pleasure in watching the turmoil in the Australian camp but cricket is a game of great uncertainties.

The Champions Trophy was a good event for the English side as their bowlers looked sharp and their batsman contributed consistently with the bat. They will not be disappointed in falling at the last hurdle as long as they have their hands firmly on the Ashes urn. England have a core group of players who have been a regular fixture for a number of years in this side. Most of the players in the squad have played in the Ashes before whereas that is not the case with the Australian squad. Every single player in the English squad has a well-defined role and will contribute to the team’s success but there are some players who are gifted match winners and will have a major impact on the series.

Here is a list of five English players who can make that major impact:

5. Graeme Swann

The off-spinner was not ‘risked’ in the Champions Trophy semi-final so he could recover from a slight strain as the focus remains the Ashes. Swann’s performance against the Kiwis at Headingley, a venue that is traditionally anything but spinner friendly, is testament to the fact that he is a genuine match winner. He finished with 10 wickets in that match, a feat last achieved by Derek Underwood in 1972. If the Champions trophy gave us any idea regarding the state of the pitches in England then he will have enough support to run through the Australian side that has shown its vulnerability to spin in the recent past.

4. Joe Root

The youngest player in this English side and the most promising young player in the Ashes. Joe Root has made a steady start to his international career and has impressed everyone with his temperament. Not many English players have traveled to a hostile situation like Indian and done so well. He has all the shots in his book and seems suited for the longer version of the game. He averages just over 42.00 in 6 Test matches with a hundred already to his name. He will play a key role in that middle order however it seems highly probable at this moment that he might be pushed to open the innings with Alastair Cook.

Kevin Pietersen will add chutzpah to this English batting lineup

The hard-hitting batsman is making a comeback after a knee injury kept him out of the game for a considerable period of time. He has found his form immediately and made a striking ton against county championship leaders Yorkshire. He has made the difference against Australia in the Ashes before. His fearless attitude against the fast bowlers, his ability to counter-attack in a situation when the opposition is on top is a priceless asset. He averages just over 52.00 in the Ashes with almost 1500 runs. He has made a habit of making it big when he gets going and therefore Australia will have to come up with a definite plan to get his wicket.

2. Alastair Cook

The left-handed opener was recently compared to the little master by Kevin Pietersen and while that maybe a little bit of exaggeration, he is definitely destructive in his own way. The stability that he provides at the top of the order means that the middle order will always have a platform to build upon. He averages just over 50.00 in the 15 test matches he has played against Australia with 4 hundreds and 3 half-centuries to his name. If he can keep up that record of his, Australia will have considerable trouble containing the English scoring.

1. James Anderson

The greatest threat to the Australian side and England’s trump card. Jimmy Anderson was in full swing at the Champions Trophy as he finished the second highest wicket taker at that event. He is even more deadly in the longer version of the game. He derives lateral movement with the new ball, getting it to move in both direction and once the Duke ball loses its shine he is an expert exponent of reverse swing bowling. Anderson’s bowling action allows him to disguise the ball in such a manner that the batsman has to pick up the swing of the ball in the air. He has improved as a cricketer with the experience that he has gathered over the years in International Cricket. He was the stand-out bowler in the 2010-11 series finishing with 24 wickets.