CARDIFF: With friends like Graeme Swann, England captain Alastair Cook may feel he has no need of any enemies.
England suffered a massive 133-run defeat by world champions India in the second one-day international in Cardiff on Wednesday, effectively the first of what is now a four-match series following Monday's total washout in Bristol.
Opening batsman Cook made 19 off 33 balls as England, chasing a rain-revised target of 295 off 47 overs, were bowled out for just 161.
That came after India posted an imposing total of 304 for six, with man-of-the-match Suresh Raina making exactly 100.
Former England off-spinner Swann, now a commentator with BBC Radio's Test Match Special, said Monday that England "do not have a cat in hell's chance" of winning the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand early next year.
He also urged Cook, whose orthodox approach many pundits believe is ill-suited to the white ball game, to quit one-day cricket completely.
Until December, Swann was a team-mate of Cook before dramatically retiring during England's 5-0 Ashes hammering in Australia.
And coming towards the end of a season where several former England captains said Cook should resign as Test skipper, only for both he and the team to recover to beat India 3-1, Swann's comments did not go down well.
Comments
Comments are closed.