Spectacular England have what it takes to rule the world

NGLAND have all the cricketing ingredients required to win the first global 50-over title in their history next summer. The most important question, though, is whether they can keep their nerve.

The turnaround in England’s one-day work since their disastrous display in the 2015 World Cup has been staggering. The joyless, timid team of that tournament is fading ever more quickly into the background, replaced by an exciting, confident group.

They will start tomorrow’s fourth one-day international against Pakistan at Headingley with an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

In Jason Roy, Alex Hales and Jos Buttler, England have batsmen more explosive than most in the world. Eoin Morgan, recovering form with the bat, is a fine leader. Ben Stokes is one of the best all-rounders in the game and Joe Root one of the finest batsmen.

With the ball, England have serious pace from Mark Wood and Liam Plunkett. Chris Woakes is quick enough and can also offer control.

If he can regain his place in the side, David Will e y ’s left-arm seam and swing provides another question for batsmen to answer.

Adil Rashid, the leg-spinner, is effective in this form of the game and Moeen Ali looks increasingly comfortable with the white ball.

Virtually all players are excellent in the field and, just as importantly, they can all bat.

Rashid has been listed at No11 before in one-day cricket but has 10 first-class hundreds.

Plunkett another lower-order player, has made three centuries in the first-class game.

Make no mistake, if they can keep their key men fit, England should win the Champions Trophy next year.

The tournament takes place on home soil, as it did in 2004 and 2013. With far less dynamic teams in those editions, England still reached the final.

So where is the weakness? We do not know yet how England will handle being one of the favourites, and handling the extra pressure may prove their greatest challenge.

The extra strain often shows itself in a team’s fielding and here England remain untidy.

At Trent Bridge last night, both Hales and Buttler put down simple chances. It did not cost them in that game, which England won by 169 runs after posting 444 for three — the highest-ever oneday international total. It might be a different story in a close Champimpions Trophy or World Cup p k n o c ko u t mat c h , wh e n such mistakes can be the difference bet ween winning and losing.

Morgan has urged them to embrace the label of favourites and has talked up England’s chances of victory.

Yet t hi s re mains a re l a - tively inexperienced team and t h e y woul d p ro b a b ll yy prefer to go into the tournaament a s o u t s i d e r s , r a t h ee rr than the principal contendersers they will undoubtedly be.

Yesterday’s win over Pakikistan had many highlights.

Whil e Root ’s 85 f ro m 8 6 delivdeliveries was sedate in comparisparison with the innings of Hales (an England-record 171 from 122 balls), Buttler (90 not out frfrom 51) and Morgan (57 nnot out from 27) — Root, wwith his ability to pace an innings and bring the best from team-mates, will be the key batsman next summer. It may seem harsh to ccriticise England after such a spectacular display. But ttheirh ambition is to win tt rro p h i e s , n o t s i mply to enentertain. To do so, simple mistakes mmust not be made.