With their varied attack finally filling the void left by the retirement of Darren Gough, the Analyst says that Trevor Bayliss' side have few weaknesses left to address
England have lost only one of the eight ODIs that they have played in Cardiff, and they are unlikely to lose their next assignment at Sophia Gardens on Saturday.
Hard as Sri Lanka tried to post a challenging score at the Oval – and they did – their depleted bowling attack struggles to contain this power-packed England batting line up.
In fact, it’s more of bowling defence than an attack.
Alex Hales, England’s most consistent one-day batsman but who is nursing a back complaint, wasn’t even required on Tuesday.
His possible absence in Cardiff will not perturb England greatly. The highly talented James Vince could easily slot in.
Credit should be due not just to Jason Roy for his brilliant exhibition of shots at the Oval – and the clinical way England pursued their 308 target – but also to the bowlers.
Especially David Willey and Chris Woakes, who bore the responsibility of bowling at the death in Sri Lanka’s innings.
On a perfect pitch like the one at the Oval and against one of the most destructive batsmen in the world in Angelo Mathews, this is the impossible job.
But although both conceded seven runs per over overall, they stopped Mathews from running riot with excellent control of their (mostly wide) yorkers.
Death bowling has been England’s weakest suit since the retirement of Darren Gough a decade ago.
Now there are signs – with Woakes, Willey, Chris Jordan and the pacey Liam Plunkett in the mix – that they are beginning to find some decent options for the end of the innings.
With that and England’s ever-improving fielding, they are starting to become a formidable one-day unit.
Cardiff is another ground like Bristol with short straight boundaries and longer square ones, something that England – with a quicker bowling unit – are better-placed to exploit with more aggressive short bowling into the ribs of the batsmen.
Anyway you look at it, it will be a tough match for Sri Lanka to win.
As with the Oval, their only hope is to win the toss, send England in to bat and encourage them to self-destruct. But this England team is made of sterner stuff.
