World Cup 2015: England captain Alastair Cook confident of success
Captain Alastair Cook says England have their best chance to win the
World Cup for the first time in 2015.
Cook's team have no Tests before the competition in February and play
11 one-day internationals before then, starting in Sri Lanka on 26
November.
England have not reached the final since 1992, but Cook said: "The
planning from the ECB has made sure we have the group fresh and ready to
go.
"If we peak at the right time, I don't think anyone will want to play
us."
He added: "Since 1992 we haven't done ourselves any justice in the
World Cup but I am excited about playing one-day cricket where we
haven't got Test cricket in the forefront."
England's pre-World Cup schedule Seven-match series in Sri Lanka: 26
November - 16 December Two games against Australia, in Sydney & Hobart:
18 & 23 January Two games against India, in Brisbane & Perth: 20 & 30
January England have won only seven of their 18 ODIs in 2014, losing a
series in Australia at home to Sri Lanka and India, with only one series
victory in the West Indies. In that period they reached 300 three times.
India made 404-5 against Sri Lanka on Thursday, when Rohit Sharma
became the first man to score 250 in a one-day international.
Former Australia bowler Jason Gillespie, now coach of Yorkshire,
said: "I don't think England will win this World Cup, unless they change
the way they play.
"They need to be a bit more aggressive, certainly with their batting.
"The reality is teams are scoring more runs. England are a
250-260-runs-in-50 overs side and we've just seen Sharma score 264 on
his own."
Alastair Cook's one-day international record InningsRuns Highest
scoreAverageStrike rate 863,085 13737.6277.57
Cook said: "We haven't won over the last couple of series, so we have
to improve, but it's not about a radical change of method."
England, who face Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, Sri Lanka,
Bangladesh and Afghanistan in their World Cup group, are fifth in the
International Cricket Council one-day rankings.
Cook's captaincy and place in the team have been questioned by former
England captain Michael Vaughan, while ex-spinner Graeme Swann has said
England have "no chance" of winning the World Cup.
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