Anderson grabs his chance and a World Cup place

By the end of the 2002 domestic season, Lancashire's Jimmy Anderson had played in three one-day matches. Now the 20 year-old fast bowler from Burnley finds himself selected for England's squad to appear in the World Cup alongside the likes of Glenn McGrath, Allan Donald and Wasim Akram.

Had it not been for injury problems to other bowlers, Anderson would probably have spent the winter with the ECB National Academy in Adelaide. He was one of the promising young players selected to hone their skills and attitude under the tutelage of Rod Marsh.

However, a succession of injuries to the senior squad and good reports from Marsh saw him elevated to join the England party for the VB Series where he impressed with his distinctly sharp bowling and his temperament. In three matches he took five wickets at 23.4 each and, while his economy rate was only 4.87 an over, he did not look in any way out of place in the international arena.

Joining him in the World Cup party is another young fast bowler who, although selected in the original party for the Ashes, had little hope of one-day action at the start of the tour. Steve Harmison is another to benefit from injuries to the likes of Darren Gough and Simon Jones and after two matches in the VB Series where his pace and bounce impressed, he is off to South Africa as well.

For some time the England management has said that the key to one-day success was experience. Those ideas have been thrown into utter disarray by the string of injuries throughout the Australian tour, causing a major reassessment of resources.

Even this squad has three major doubts included. Andrew Flintoff has taken an age to overcome a double hernia operation last summer and, amid accusation and counter-claim concerning his rehabilitation, is still not yet fully fit. Ashley Giles had his bowling wrist broken in the nets and has not yet been able to rejoin the tour. Craig White, who joined the Ashes party when it was evident Flintoff would not recover, was himself injured during the Melbourne Test. He sustained a rib muscle injury and while the initial prognosis was for a six-week recovery period, such injuries are notoriously slow to heal in bowlers.

The selectors, however, have put their faith in all three recovering in the knowledge that ICC regulations allow them to change the squad at any time should the medical information prove over-optimistic.

The chairman, David Graveney, sounded up beat when assessing their prospects. Referring to Flintoff, he said, "He his making good progress in his rehabilitation work and has been bowling at around 90% pace in the nets whilst experiencing much less pain. The indications are that Andrew will be fit and able to play a full part in the competition.

"Ashley Giles has been given the go-ahead from his specialist to begin training and bowled six overs in the nets over the weekend without suffering any pain or reaction. Again, I am satisfied that Ashley will be able to play a full role for England in the World Cup.

"So far as Craig White's injury is concerned, his recovery is in its early stages. Craig will be receiving intensive treatment with the aim of having him available for the finals of the VB Series should England qualify."

Graveney also said that he hopes to have both Giles and Flintoff available for the VB finals. However, he will be as aware as everybody else of the dangers associated with rushing players back into action before they are ready.

Young Somerset left-arm spinning all-rounder Ian Blackwell is on hand should Giles not recover. He was drafted into the Champions Trophy squad in September and has continued to do well to merit his place in the World Cup party. Apart from his bowling that has stood up well to pressure, he can change the course of an innings with his powerful batting.

Of the other all-rounders, Paul Collingwood is hardly used as a medium pace bowler by the national side, but he sealed his place with a sparkling hundred against Sri Lanka in Perth. Ronnie Irani, on the other hand, has had a difficult tour with the bat. After initially impressing going in at number three in the warm-up matches, he has failed consistently in the internationals. His bowling has not been as effective as it proved to be last summer either, but it is that part of his game that has gained him his place.

Michael Vaughan will presumably bat at three behind the established one-day opening pair of left-handers, Marcus Trescothick and Nick Knight. It is conceivable, though, that he might be elevated to allow a right-left opening partnership to cause problems for the opposition bowlers.

With the captain, Nasser Hussain, at four and then the all-rounders, there is a solid look to the batting. Wicket-keeper Alec Stewart can be included among the all-rounders in what will probably be his farewell to international cricket. If his keeping abilities might be on the wane, there is, as yet, nobody in a younger age bracket demanding his place as a wicket-keeper/ batsman.

Although neither have had a particularly good tour of Australia, the pair of opening bowlers with most experience - Andrew Caddick and Matthew Hoggard - retain their places. One or even both know that they are up against fresh, young opposition for a place in the starting eleven and that could be the spur to get them back to full throttle.

In any event, it is not bowling that is likely to win the World Cup for England. It is only if the batsmen all hit form together that there is more of a possibility, and then it is up to the bowlers to sustain the position.

Some will say that this England squad is ill equipped to even challenge for the title, but that is harsh. The format of the competition means that the team could lose a few matches while finding its feet and then get it all right in the knockout stages. Stranger things have happened.

Squad: Nasser Hussain (captain), James Anderson, Ian Blackwell, Andrew Caddick, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Ashley Giles, Steve Harmison, Mathew Hoggard, Ronnie Irani, Nick Knight, Alec Stewart (w-k), Marcus Trescothick, Michael Vaughan, Craig White.