England's summer of love continues Print E-mail
Category: 2010 ICC World Twenty20
Written by Luke Tagg   
Thursday, 13 May 2010 23:34
Had you told me - somewhere deep into the fourth afternoon of the third Test between England and South Africa at Newlands earlier this year - that I'd be sitting here a few months later proclaiming my love for England, I'd have jammed my car keys between your two front teeth.

I can't help myself, though - this is a new England. A brave England. A Gordy-less England.

Their relentless run in the World Twenty20 continued unabated tonight when they steamrollered Sri Lanka. To call it a win would be a grave injustice. It was a hatchet job. And not in a good way.

There was never a chance of them being upset by Sri Lanka, which is an entirely new phenomenon. There's never any guarantee that a side will win a game, but this time was different. England and Australia have kicked T20 cricket up a massive gear this year and everybody else is way behind. They were never going to lose.

I heard some speculation from commentators that the driving force behind England's newfound attitude in T20 cricket is their brand new leprechaun import, Eoin Morgan. I don't know if that's true but I do know that before he arrived it was the same old crap from England.

His style of play and mental approach to the game has certainly been adopted by his side, so what you essentially have is a team of Eoin Morgans. Which is nice.

Obviously it doesn't play out that way in reality, but it's the attitude shift that has turned England into such a good side. They clearly spent a good deal of time picking the right players to complement each other, but those players needed to approach the game the right way.

They've done that and are now unstoppable, except perhaps by Australia. Who, by the way, will not be upset by Pakistan either. I have it on good authority.

I know Australia are still favourites for the title, but I'm starting to lean England-wards at a slow and steady tilt. Australia are much like South Africa in that the moment you attack them they don't like it. They need to have control, or it all spirals away quickly.

England are riding high on their new wave and will go hard at Australia in the final. If the Aussies realise they can't dominate mentally it may upset their rhythm.

Whatever happens, these two sides have provided the blueprint for the near future of T20 cricket. It may change over time, as it did in Test and ODI cricket, but for now - everyone else needs to do what Zog do.
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