London, June 07: Test captain Andrew Strauss has insisted he’ll have no qualms about leading out England’s one-day team in their upcoming five-match series at home to world champions Australia.
The South Africa-born Strauss missed England’s win in last month’s World Twenty20 final in Barbados over their oldest cricket rivals because, like Australia counterpart Ricky Ponting, he has opted out of the sport’s shortest format.
And there have been suggestions the South Africa born duo of Michael Lumb and Craig Kieswetter, who opened the innings to good effect in the Caribbean, be allowed to continue their partnership in 50-over cricket.
But since replacing another South African-born batsman Kevin Pietersen as captain in the West Indies last year, left-hander Strauss has scored 647 runs in 21 one-day internationals at a respectable average of 32.35 with one hundred and four fifties.
Paul Collingwood, currently sidelined with a shoulder injury that saw him miss England’s 2-0 Test series win over Bangladesh, wrapped up with an innings and 80 run victory at Old Trafford here on Sunday, was the victorious captain in the World Twenty20 final against Australia.
But Strauss was adamant he foresaw no problems in either leading a team containing Collingwood or in playing 50-over cricket, insisting he was “absolutely” determined to captain England at next year’s World Cup in Asia.
“The Twenty20 team has obviously moved on,” Strauss told reporters here at Old Trafford after England had beaten Bangladesh.
“We have made some quite significant changes and improvements in the 50-over game over the last nine months or so.
“Clearly we will have the likes of Paul Collingwood back, which is going to be a massive addition to the squad. I am excited about having him back.”
England’s selectors are due to announce the squad for the one-day series with Australia on Thursday.
Strauss added he was keen to explore whether anything done by the Twenty20 side – the first England team to win a major global limited overs tournament – could rub off in a longer format.
“It will be great to sit down and talk about some of the things they are doing in the Twenty20 game and see whether that is transferrable to the 50-over game,” the 33-year-old Strauss said.
“I am excited about one-day cricket in general. I think we have started to play the style of cricket which is so important if you want to win consistently away from home.
“There is no plan to change that. We are going to continue with that and it would be wrong not to.”
Strauss, turning to his place in England’s one-day team, added: “One of the great challenges of being captain is to make sure you are worth your spot in the side.
“I have had a reasonable amount of success in one-day cricket over the last 12 months but I should and can play better. That is going to be the challenge for me.”
——–Agencies