England Cricket

England belatedly got their 2015 Cricket World Cup challenge up and running with a workmanlike victory over Scotland in Christchurch on Monday.

Given the manner of the defeats against Australia and New Zealand it was perhaps understandable that Eoin Morgan's side took a relatively cautious approach against the auld enemy.

If they are to spring a surprise run in the competition, they'll need to loosen the shackles when they come up against opposition more challenging than Scotland, however.

Despite the 119-run margin of victory, Michael Vaughan wasn't particularly impressed with how England went about their business.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 live's Tuffers and Vaughan Show (via BBC Sport), the former England captain was damning about England's tactical approach to the 50-over game.

"After the [Scotland] game [captain] Eoin Morgan said they are flexible. No, they're not. They are set in stone the way they are going to play."

Shane Warne (via The Telegraph) famously said that Monty Panesar “hasn't played 33 Tests, he's played one Test 33 times." The left-arm spinner may not be part of the current setup, but the same criticisms could be levelled at England's one-day side.

As Vaughan said (via BBC Sport), “One-day cricket has moved on. It's almost like they are swimming with armbands on. Everyone else is taking on a different leap, with more power, more aggression and more freedom.”

England's tactics seem to be from a place where Twenty20 cricket does not exist.

Of course a team is only as good as the players in it. England lack genuine pace and mystery spin with the ball and aren't blessed with a striker in the Brendon McCullum mould.

On paper, they look a class above say Ireland, but the Irish play with a style and aggression England seem to lack.

The ability to change tack in the middle of an innings is also an area where England appear to be lacking. When the charge was on in the opening match against Australia, the bowlers seemed too wedded to their "short of a length" strategy.

WATCH: Glenn Maxwell reaches his fifty in style #fireitup - http://t.co/akNUZNTkOV

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) February 14, 2015

Writing in his Daily Mail column, Stuart Broad defended the tactics. “The talk at the MCG is that you have to try to make the batsmen hit square because it’s 64 metres straight and 84 metres wide. The guidance here is that it is best to stay on the short side.”

Having a plan is all well and good, but when it's obviously not working you need to be flexible enough to change it. Australia smashed 112 runs from their final 11 overs which suggests that something was amiss with England's thinking.

Too often it appears that England's players need the coaches to tell them what to do rather than take the initiative themselves. Can the bowlers think on their feet?

The England management team like to “take the positives” from any game and there were certainly some on display in the win over Scotland. In addition to Moeen's masterclass, captain Eoin Morgan showed signs of returning to form and Jos Buttler played a lovely cameo.

Some of the old problems were all too visible, though, most notably the now customary middle-order collapse. England went from 201 for one to 203 for four in the space of two overs. It didn't matter against Scotland but it will against better opposition.

Power play now standing at 5 runs 2 wkts 3 overs

— David 'Bumble' Lloyd (@BumbleCricket) February 23, 2015

Gary Ballance has looked out of sorts at No. 3, scoring a round 10 in each of his three appearances. With Ian Bell looking solid, but not scoring quickly, the case for giving Alex Hales a go is becoming more compelling.

Next up for England is Sri Lanka, who were well beaten by New Zealand and given a scare by Afghanistan. For England, it's an eminently winnable game—if they play with the handbrake off.

Speaking on the Sky Sports show The Verdict (via SkySports.com) Andrew Strauss acknowledged that this is where the coach will earn his money, “For (Peter) Moores is isn’t about giving any Churchillian speeches but encouraging playing with freedom and taking pressure off the players.”

If he can lift the burden of expectation, England could yet spring a surprise.

England's faltering Cricket World Cup campaign stuttered into life with a win against Scotland on Monday thanks largely to the efforts of Moeen Ali.

The Worcestershire opening batsman scored his second ODI century as England coasted home by 119 runs in Christchurch.

Moeen was by far the pick of the batsmen on show, his 128 coming from just 107 balls and including five sixes and 12 fours.

Moeen Ali goes through to his second ODI hundred. #CWC15 #fireitup. Eng 168-0 after 29 overs. #EngvScot pic.twitter.com/8f0g3h7hyR

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) February 23, 2015

After facing the pace of Mitchell Johnson and the precision of Tim Southee, England's batsmen enjoyed themselves against a Scottish attack that featured neither.

Skipper Eoin Morgan showed signs of life with a breezy 46 from 42 balls and Jos Buttler's improvisation gave England some impetus at the death.

That's not to say all is well in the England batting camp. Ian Bell passed 50 but at a pedestrian strike rate of 63.52.

The usual middle-order collapse was also evident with Gary Ballance, Joe Root and James Taylor failing to capitalise on the platform set by Moeen and Bell. England will have expected to score more than 303 after starting the 30th over with the score on 172 without loss.

The bowlers too found conditions to their liking. Steve Finn put his Brendon McCullum nightmare behind him and ended up with figures of three for 26 from his nine overs.

James Anderson and Chris Woakes also enjoyed a decent run out and Moeen capped a man-of-the-match performance by taking two for 47 from his 10 overs.

England received a much needed boost following the horror shows against Australia and New Zealand. The batting looks to be very much a work in progress and it would be no surprise if Alex Hales and Ravi Bopara come into the picture.

A confidence booster it may have been but a much tougher task lies ahead against Sri Lanka in Wellington on Saturday.

Here is the best of the rest from what was a low-key match in Christchurch.

Dismissal of the Day

Despite going into the match with high hopes of springing an upset, Scottish fans had little to cheer.

They were always chasing the game after Moeen and Bell's impressive opening stand.

One of the few bright moments was a superb piece of glove work from Matthew Cross to dismiss James Taylor.

Taylor falls, stumped. #CWC15. England are 256-5 with five overs to go. #EngvScot #fireitup pic.twitter.com/ftkIe6ySYv

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) February 23, 2015

Biggest Sigh of Relief – Dominic Cork

Of course captain Eoin Morgan and coach Peter Moores were delighted to have avoided slipping on this potential banana skin. The man most relieved that England won was in fact Dominic Cork.

Speaking on the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast on TalkSport, the former Derbyshire, Lancashire and Hampshire all-rounder promised to “run over Tower Bridge with no clothes on” if Scotland beat England.

Thousands of London commuters will no doubt be delighted that England finally got their World Cup campaign off the mark.

Biggest Exhibitionist

Londoners may have been spared the sight of Dominic Cork in the buff but spectators at the Hagley Oval were given an unwanted eyeful.

One foolhardy fan decided that his five minutes of fame would be spent carousing around the Christchurch outfield au naturel.

The mystery man's efforts did inspire an amusing tweet from Alan Brazil though.

So England beat Scotland at #CWC15 & Dom Cork gets to keep his clothes on. Some people decided to get naked anyway... pic.twitter.com/pkcV1OcLws

— Alan Brazil (@SportsBreakfast) February 23, 2015

Worst Bit of Timing

It's not just Eoin Morgan's batting that has been lacking in timing of late. It seems that his handshakes skills are a little skew-whiff too, much to the amusement of Ravi Bopara.

This will make laugh every single time. #cricketworldcup2015 #awkward

A video posted by Ravi Bopara (@ravibopara) on

Reaction

The reaction on social media to England's win was pretty muted. Former captain Michael Vaughan summed up England's performance succinctly.

A Win is a Win and that's all that was required today... #ICCWorldCup2015

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) February 23, 2015

Pool A Table

New Zealand	3	3	0	0	3.586	6
Australia	2	1	0	0	2.22	3
Bangladesh	2	1	0	0	2.1	3
Sri Lanka	2	1	1	0	-0.861	2
England	3	1	2	0	-1.415	2
Afghanistan	2	0	2	0	-1.175	0
Scotland	2	0	2	0	-2.74	0

Tuesday's Action

After their big win over Pakistan, the West Indies will be looking to keep the momentum going against Zimbabwe in Canberra.

Jason Holder's side were much improved in their last outing with Andre Russell and Jerome Taylor to the fore.

Zimbabwe gave South Africa a fright in their opener before going to beat the United Arab Emirates. They will go into Tuesday's game as underdogs but certainly have the capacity to spring a surprise.

England bounced back from their miserable start to the Cricket World Cup with a 119-run victory over Scotland in Christchurch.

England, after being put into bat, made 303-8 in their 50 overs, with Moeen Ali scoring his second one-day international century.

			Runs	Minutes	Balls	4s	6s
Moeen	c Coleman	b Haq	128	144	107	12	5
Bell	c Coetzer	b Berrington	54	124	85	2	0
Ballance		b Evans	10	23	18	0	0
Root	c Cross	b Davey	1	8	3	0	0
Morgan	c Mommsen	b Davey	46	68	42	4	2
Taylor	st Cross	b Davey	17	39	26	0	0
Buttler	c Davey	b Wardlaw	24	19	14	4	0
Woakes	c Mommsen	b Davey	1	4	2	0	0
Broad	not out		0	3	3	0	0
Finn	not out		1	2	1	0	0
Extras		1nb 15w 1b 4lb	21
Bowler			Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Wardlaw			10	1	60	1
Davey			10	0	68	4
Evans			10	1	46	1
Haq			10	0	51	1
Berrington			5	0	43	1
Machan			2	0	11	0
Coetzer			3	0	19	0

The Associate nation could make only 184 in reply at the Hagley Oval as they suffered their second defeat in Pool A.

			Runs	Minutes	Balls	4s	6s
Coetzer	c Woakes	b Moeen	71	111	84	11	0
MacLeod	c Buttler	b Anderson	4	11	6	1	0
Coleman	c Morgan	b Woakes	7	30	16	0	0
Machan	c Buttler	b Finn	5	6	7	1	0
Mommsen	c Broad	b Root	26	53	42	3	0
Berrington	c Morgan	b Moeen	8	9	13	0	0
Cross	c Root	b Finn	23	40	32	1	0
Davey	c Buttler	b Finn	9	17	15	0	0
Haq	c Ballance	b Woakes	15	38	24	3	0
Evans	c Buttler	b Anderson	9	20	15	2	0
Wardlaw	not out		0		0	0	0
Extras		0nb 2w 0b 5lb	7
Bowler			Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Anderson			6	0	30	2
Broad			7	0	24	0
Woakes			5.2	0	25	2
Finn			9	3	26	3
Moeen			10	0	47	2
Root			5	0	27	1

After a humiliating eight-wicket defeat by New Zealand on Friday and a 111-run loss to Australia in their opening match, England had a lot to prove, and Ali and Ian Bell gave their innings a great foundation.

172 between Ian Bell and Moeen Ali is England's best opening partnership in all World Cup matches. #cwc15

— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) February 23, 2015

They put on a record-breaking 172 for the opening wicket, albeit against a tame bowling attack, with Ali making 128 and Bell making 54.

2 - @ECB_cricket managed just 2 centuries from openers in ODIs in 2014, but have already matched that in 2015. Rainbow. #CWC15 #ENGvSCO

— OptaJim (@OptaJim) February 23, 2015

Ali reached his century off 91 balls with his fourth six, off Majid Haq, but Bell was more circumspect and had faced 85 balls when he slapped Richie Berrington to Kyle Coetzer at short extra cover at the start of the 31st over.

Moeen Ali ton up with a six https://t.co/ScgKCRQVDS

— Jack Mendel (@JackMendel4) February 22, 2015

Ali finally went for 128, made from only 107 balls and featuring 12 boundaries and five sixes, after thrashing Haq to deep mid-wicket in the 35th over with the score on 201.

Cameos from Eoin Morgan (46 from 42 balls) and Jos Buttler (24 from 14 balls) helped Peter Moores’ side past 300.

England's last two 300+ totals in WC came at Bangalore in 2011 - they tied one (v Ind) & lost the other (v Ire)#EngvScot#CWC15

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) February 23, 2015

Scotland, who lost to New Zealand by three wickets in their opener, had a sketchy start to their reply, with Calum MacLeod (four), Frederick Coleman (seven) and Matt Machan (five) departing inside 12 overs.

Coetzer held the innings together with 71, but he holed out to long-on off man-of-the-match Ali in the 27th over.

WATCH: The moment England sealed victory over Scotland #fireitup #cwc15 - http://t.co/uBjcytvrYc

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) February 23, 2015

Ali picked up his second victim in the next over before Steven Finn, who finished with 3-26, got in on the act with the Scots all out in the 43rd over.

Latest points table of Pool A.
Seems to be SL, ENG & BAN battle for 3rd & 4th places.#LionsRoar #CWC15 #EngvScot pic.twitter.com/yNioLUjB4X

— ACF (@VishuddikaSri) February 23, 2015

The Scots have never won a World Cup game but get a great chance against fellow minnows Afghanistan on Thursday. England return to action on Sunday against Sri Lanka.

England and Scotland are both still yet to get off the mark in this year’s World Cup—that statistic has to change as the two clash at the picturesque Hagley Oval on Monday.

Date: Monday, February 23

Time: 11 a.m. local time/10 p.m. GMT

Venue: Hagley Oval, Christchurch

Weather: According to AccuWeather.com, it is going to be around 21 degrees with a small chance of rain. Perfect, English-style conditions for the battle of the Brits in Group A.

TV Info and Live Stream: The official broadcasters of the 2015 Cricket World Cup are Sky Sports (UK) and ESPN (U.S.). Mobile/online coverage is available via Sky Go and Watch ESPN.

Paul Collingwood (@Colly622) says the mood in the Scotland camp is good ahead of @ECB_cricket game. #followscotland https://t.co/mMdQFmibOf

— Cricket Scotland (@CricketScotland) February 21, 2015

Overview

Both teams head into the fixture off the back of defeats to New Zealand.

The difference, however, is that Scotland ended up giving the Black Caps more of a game in Dunedin than England managed to in Wellington.

Eoin Morgan’s side have had little time to lick their wounds and regroup after that eight-wicket loss on Friday. The day-night contest was so one-sided that the floodlights were not even required.

Having also lost heavily to Australia at the MCG on the opening day of the tournament, England will have to decide if the time is right to make changes to their side.

However, Morgan said in the aftermath, per ESPN Cricinfo, that it was not a time to “go into a state of panic where we make three or four changes for one game.” His quotes hinted the starting XI may be given one last chance to impress.

Scotland, meanwhile, will hope assistant coach Paul Collingwood can help plot the downfall of his former team.

The Durham all-rounder played 197 one-day games in his career for England. He was also the captain of the triumphant squad at the ICC World Twenty20 in the Caribbean in 2012.

Scotland only lost by three wickets to New Zealand in their one and only fixture in the tournament so far.

They recovered from a disastrous 12-4 to reach 142 before being bowled out, then capitalised in the field as the Kiwis looked to boost their run-rate in chasing down a small target. 

England have won two of the three previous meetings with Scotland—the other fixture was washed out.

Coach Peter Moores on 'hugely disappointing' defeat #NZvEng & response England need against Scotland: http://t.co/21vrzgoW3i via @YouTube

— England and Wales Cricket Board (@ECB_cricket) February 21, 2015

Key players 

England

Captain Eoin Morgan has a big role to play for England, and not just in terms of how many runs he contributes. With his team lacking in confidence and looking fragile, he has to find a way to lift his troops. 

It would help, of course, if he found some form with the bat. While he finally made it into double figures again, having mustered two runs in his previous five innings, his knock of 17 from 41 balls against New Zealand was scratchy to say the least.

Scotland 

As mentioned, England’s morale will be low after their shocking start to the tournament. Scotland could heap more pressure on them by taking early wickets with the ball.

For that reason, Iain Wardlaw will be crucial. The former Yorkshire seamer claimed 3-57 against the Kiwis and has enough speed to keep opposing batsmen honest. A couple of strikes with the new ball would put the cat among the pigeons.

Squads 

England: Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler (w), Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Eoin Morgan (c), Joe Root, James Taylor, James Tredwell, Chris Woakes

Scotland: Richie Berrington, Kyle Coetzer, Freddie Coleman, Matthew Cross (w), Josh Davey, Alasdair Evans, Hamish Gardiner, Majid Haq, Michael Leask, Matt Machan, Calum MacLeod, Preston Mommsen (c), Safyaan Sharif, Rob Taylor, Iain Wardlaw

We're just over a week into the World Cup and England already find themselves under pressure.

Facing Australia and New Zealand in their first two Group A matches was always going to be a tough challenge, and it always seemed likely that they would go into their third fixture, against associate nation Scotland on Feb. 23, without a point to their name.

However, while defeats against the tournament co-hosts were expected, the way in which England lost those games has raised serious concerns about their potential to reach the quarter-finals.

The eight-wicket hammering at the hands of the Black Caps was so bad that captain Eoin Morgan could not even trot out that man-management cliche of “taking the positives” out of a loss. 

In losing so heavily to Australia at the MCG on Valentine's Day, they were at least able to grasp at a few straws.

Paceman Steven Finn claimed England’s first World Cup hat-trick to complete a five-wicket haul, while James Taylor battled bravely in a losing cause to make 98.

Against New Zealand, however, there were no crumbs of comfort to be had. No thin shafts of light amid the gloom. England were annihilated.

When Morgan, speaking in his post-match press conference, stated that he didn’t want to get into “a state of panic”, per the Guardian, it was hard not to think of him as Lance-Corporal Jones from Dad’s Army.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZR6wok7g7do

Morgan is right, though. Panic is not a suitable response after the beating they took at the hands of the Black Caps.

Instead, England have to assess where they are and work out what they need to do to prosper in the rest of the tournament. Plan A has not worked. It is time to go back to the drawing board.

Coach Peter Moores—at a critical point in his reign, according to former captain Michael Vaughan in The Telegraph—called for his players to go out and express themselves, per Sportinglife:

I often say sport is a bit like anything when you've got to express yourself and play. Everybody can sing in the bath, not everyone can sing on a stage. It's not as easy.

You've got to let yourself go. You've got to show something that says: 'Right I can go and play.' That's what we need to do as a group of players.

We've got four games left in this group that we've got to win and try and get ourselves through to that quarter-final.

Moores’ words are all well and good, but to play in an expansive manner when under pressure is not easy. England know they simply cannot afford to lose to Scotland if they want to finish in the top four in the pool.

A familiar face will be trying to make sure they suffer even more embarrassment.

Paul Collingwood (@Colly622) says the mood in the Scotland camp is good ahead of @ECB_cricket game. #followscotland https://t.co/mMdQFmibOf

— Cricket Scotland (@CricketScotland) February 21, 2015

Paul Collingwood was captain of England when they won the ICC World Twenty20 in the Caribbean in 2010, the only major limited-overs trophy they have ever lifted.

Now, though, he is hoping to engineer their World Cup demise.

The Durham all-rounder played in 68 Tests and 197 one-day games for England but is currently employed as part of Scotland’s coaching squad.

He took the chance to stir the pot in his column for the ICC, writing: “England don’t look as if they’ll get out of the group at this stage. That’s the harsh reality.”

Collingwood’s words are not harsh; they are exactly the kind of home truths England need to hear.

It is tough to be positive in their current situation. However, Morgan and Moores have to find a way to turn things around before it is too late, not just in terms of England's hopes of progressing in the tournament but also for the sake of their own international careers.

England have endured a tough start to the Cricket World Cup and can expect a similarly rough ride against co-hosts New Zealand when they go head-to-head on Friday.

While the Kiwis match is not make or break for Peter Moores’ side, it will have implications for their chances of making it out of the group stages.

After a 111-run mauling by Australia in their opening fixture in Melbourne, England have lessons to learn. As one of the favourites for the trophy, New Zealand are in a position to teach them harshly. However, in England’s favour is that they can identify a number of key areas to work on.

Poor death bowling

England’s attack collapsed in the last 10 overs, allowing the Aussies to rack up 105 runs late on. Despite having specialist death bowler Chris Woakes in the ranks, the Warwickshire man could not intervene as the Baggy Green raced to their unassailable total of 342.

While Steven Finn’s five wickets demonstrated that he has come into fine form in time for the World Cup, England must not rely on him too heavily against New Zealand.

Senior bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad must step up their game if they are to conquer the Black Caps.

A shaky middle order

Relative new boy James Taylor top-scored with 98 against Australia, but by then much of the damage was done. Gary Ballance and Joe Root should have been the backbone of England’s batting, but neither made it to double figures. Moeen Ali once again looked overwhelmed as an opener.

The Westpac Stadium has not lent itself to high scores in recent years, and Friday’s fixture is unlikely to be too different.

Confidence will be key

ESPN’s George Dobell highlights the importance of New Zealand’s winning mentality, but that is not something they have amassed quickly. For England, a tough year on and off the field had taken its toll before they even stepped off the plane.

With that in mind, it is crucial that new captain Eoin Morgan motivates them to put their psychological differences aside and focus on the game in hand. With so much to prove at this World Cup, Morgan is under pressure already, with the spotlight placed on everything from his field placings to his bowling options.

New Zealand have the more enviable task of simply avoiding an upset. Brendon McCullum is the man England have to contain, and they will presumably field accordingly.

The 33-year-old hit 65 off just 49 balls against Sri Lanka, and while his side didn’t need to be at their best against Scotland, England will also need to keep an eye on his team-mates Kane Williamson and Corey Anderson.

Moores has acknowledged England’s failings, telling the Guardian: "If we’re going to win this tournament we’ve got to get better."

The head coach may ostensibly have his eyes on the ultimate prize, but in reality, playing against New Zealand is really an opportunity to showcase the progress they have made in the last week. Moores acknowledged the gap between his players and their Australian counterparts, but facing New Zealand is going to be an equally, if not more, daunting affair.

It is down to Morgan, then, to lead his men by breaking his woeful run against the hosts. New Zealand will be all too aware that the Irish-born batsman is capable of returning to his former status as a game-changer, even on a difficult pitch.

New Zealand have a far more balanced bowling attack, another factor which could prove the difference. England are ultimately up against it from the off and will have to enjoy a remarkable turnaround in fortunes if they are to upset the odds.

England’s national sports teams have commanded low expectations from the fans for some time.

Destruction in the Ashes and the football World Cup may be firmly in the rear-view mirror of 2014, but they are representative of malaise regular supporters have grown accustomed to.

England have never won a cricket World Cup. They have not triumphed in the footballing version since 1966. These two facts form the basis of the England supporter’s ethos.  

Use logic. Use historical precedent. Use statistics. Set your expectations accordingly. This is how it has always been. Pessimism is passed down through the generations.

Underachievement can be bemoaned in the usual fashion, and in the unlikely outcome of overachievement, genuine enjoyment can result.

Bookmakers are not giving England much of a chance of triumphing in the Cricket World Cup this time around. Host nation Australia are understandably favourites alongside a strong looking South African side, with New Zealand being given an outside chance.

Australia are favourites to lift the trophy for good reason. They have a powerful and consistent batting lineup, the best hostile fast-bowlers and have the advantage of playing at home.

South Africa are not far behind. In Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn they have three of the best players in world cricket. They could beat any team on their day.

Meanwhile, New Zealand have managed to shake free of their perennial dark horse label. They have earned the right to be taken seriously. In their stead, England are being burdened with the title, per Vic Marks, writing for the Guardian.

The jibes have also begun Down Under. Posters have been put up in Melbourne remarking on England’s “missing balls,” per The Sydney Morning Herald.

This low expectation could work in England's favour.

The format of the competition means England should comfortably make it out of the group, with a quarter-final place the benchmark. They can even afford to lose their opening matches against Australia and New Zealand.

The World Cup rewards sprint finishes, not fast starts.

Realistically, all of the major nations should progress from the group stages. The competition only really heats up a whole month after it begins.

Momentum, confidence and form can all be built up in the first month. England will play regularly maligned minnows Afghanistan, Scotland and Bangladesh. These are opportunities for the batsmen to score runs and the bowlers to gain rhythm.

By the time they reach a knockout game, the side could have a completely different aura.

Right now, the biggest worry seems to be the form and position of Ravi Bopara in the side.

Bopara is not a crucial player for England. He is not a match-winner. He is in the team as an all-rounder but has bowled just six overs in his last seven ODI games. He has not been scoring runs, either.

England have a choice: They can stick with him or replace him with a batsman. Gary Ballance would be a more than worthy replacement. If so, Moeen Ali’s off-spin has been consistent recently and Joe Root can also be relied on to bowl, if necessary.  

This is not a major problem. The fact that Bopara’s place is the major talking point perhaps reflects the underlying assurance of the team.

England have a settled side. The problem positions of the past have been resolved. James Taylor looks assured at three. Chris Woakes’ bowling has improved dramatically to the point where he provides support to stalwarts Stuart Broad and James Anderson.

The middle order batting does still appear brittle at times, and death bowling has been wayward on occasions, but there is a sense that improvements are being made. The side are accelerating at the right time.

These improvements will not be manifested publicly by supporters. England fans will once again be braced for mediocrity on the biggest stage. The nation will hold its collective breath and wait for something to go wrong.

The only way England can inspire confidence is through performances on the pitch. Momentum in major tournaments is key. Beating Australia on Saturday would be a good start—who knows where they could go from there.

Eoin Morgan can defy his critics and help England overcome the odds to reach the semi-finals of the 2015 Cricket World Cup, as long as they avoid finishing fourth in Pool A.

The top-four sides in the seven-strong pool will qualify for the quarter-finals. There, they will meet the four best sides of Pool B. The pools are as follows:

Pool A	Pool B
Afghanistan	India
Australia	Ireland
Bangladesh	Pakistan
England	South Africa
New Zealand	United Arab Emirates
Scotland	West Indies
Sri Lanka	Zimbabwe

In the quarter-finals, the team who finished first in Pool A will face off against the team who finished fourth in Pool B, A2 will face B3, A3 will face B2 and A4 will face B1. 

South Africa are overwhelming favourites in Pool B and enter the World Cup in strong form. Although they lost their final warm-up match against New Zealand on Wednesday, the Proteas defeated Sri Lanka before that and won four of their five matches in their recent series against West Indies, often in style.

Not to mention the quality that pervades their team: AB de Villiers, perhaps the most talented player set to feature at the tournament; Hashim Amla, ranked behind only De Villiers in the ICC ODI player rankings; and Dale Steyn, the highest-ranked bowler at the World Cup.

With South Africa almost certainly set to finish top of Pool B, England must finish at least third in Pool A to avoid them. Should the teams meet in the quarter-final, England would surely be knocked out.

The rest of Pool B, however, are beatable. Of the remaining teams, India, Pakistan and West Indies are the likely quarter-final contenders.

England beat India twice in the Tri-Series that preceded the World Cup, and the Men in Blue have won just one of their five ODIs in 2015, against lowly Afghanistan.

Pakistan have been inconsistent of late, so a win over the Men in Green is highly possible despite the warm-up defeat they inflicted on England.

West Indies have played seven ODIs this year and were soundly beaten in all but two. The victories came against a depleted South Africa side and Scotland.

Despite England's mixed form, they have little to fear in these sides.

To ensure England face one of these teams and not South Africa, Morgan will be vital.

The one-day captain has faced criticism of late, owing to a downturn in his batting form. Since his impressive 121-run haul against Australia on 16 January, Morgan has managed just two runs in four outings and been dismissed for a duck on three occasions.

However, the Dublin-born left-hander is not concerned about his dip in form.

Per BBC Sport, he said: "It's only five games ago that I scored a hundred, so I don't have to look that far back to reconnect with what works well for me."

The 28-year-old has appeared to be a natural and popular leader. Joe Root, who hit 85 from 89 balls in England's last outing, insists Morgan has the backing of the squad.

Per Mike Selvey of the Guardian, Root said: "He is a fine player and leader. One thing he always does is perform when the pressure is on. He will score a lot of runs and everyone is convinced that will be the case. He is the one we turn to when the chips are down."

In January, Morgan was targeted by a bizarre blackmail scandal. As noted by Paul Newman of the Daily Mail, Morgan remained calm and composed despite the distressing situation.

This coolness under pressure will help Morgan thrive in his leadership role and will serve him well at the World Cup.

Though his batting performance undoubtedly needs to improve, Morgan has helped the team in other ways. 

His rotation of the bowlers has been impressive, with seamers Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Chris Woakes and Steven Finn all enjoying positive spells. Morgan has also made use of spinners such as Moeen Ali and the medium pace of Ravi Bopara.

On Australian pitches, pace will be the key, so England will rely on Anderson and Co. However, England play three of their group matches in New Zealand, where it will be necessary to mix things up a bit.

Morgan's willingness to try different bowling styles will be invaluable in those games, and Ali and Bopara can be brought in to deadly effect.

Between positive captaincy, strong bowling form and the attacking threat of Ian Bell, Root and Ali, England have enough about them to finish in the top three of Pool A.

Doing so will almost certainly mean they avoid South Africa in the quarter-finals. In that scenario, England, who haven't won a knockout game at a World Cup since 1992, can make history by reaching the semi-finals.

Anything further is beyond Morgan's men at this moment in time, but 2015 could see England turn an important corner in one-day cricket.