Reminder to England - Ashes tour of Australia is no pyjama game
SHANE WARNE
May 19, 2010
Congrats England. Well played, big tick in the box - but when it comes to the first day of the Ashes in Brisbane, winning the World Twenty20 will count for nothing, unless MBEs are being handed out.
Every time Australia plays England there is talk about the Ashes. Has anyone gained an advantage?
England's mindset has changed. In the past, the English players thought that if they played at their best they might nick a win. Now they think: ''We can beat this lot.'' That feeling of being scared of playing Australia has gone.
England will take a small psychological advantage from the World Twenty20 final. Australia were just starting to build momentum and find some consistency in the aftermath of losing last year's Ashes. But the first time they came up against England in a final they lost.
That will send a message to Australia that they have to play well to beat England in any form of the game.
But the Ashes in Australia is different. It is the hardest series to win and England were embarrassed last time around as tourists. England's planning must be to go out there and beat them every time to keep the momentum going.
They have got the right tools to do that. England have a balanced side and in Graeme Swann they have a spinner who is the best in the world.
In Kevin Pietersen, England also have, not the best, but the most destructive batsman. The Indian Premier League and World T20 came at a good time for him.
He was struggling in the Test arena. When he gets into trouble he gets technical and reads too much into things. He is best when he plays on instinct and in T20 there is not much time to think. You just have to go out there and hit the ball.
It is great for England because all the other players seem to walk a bit taller when KP is playing well. Also, the opposition concentrate on getting KP out so much that it allows others to play with freedom.
That is an advantage for someone such as Paul Collingwood. I stand by what I have said about him. He should hand back his MBE. He didn't earn it. But he has improved.
He has also improved as a captain. Being a good captain takes time. It's about experience and respect.
What is tricky for England is that Collingwood hands that job back to Andrew Strauss. I have said Strauss didn't show respect for the game by missing a Test tour. If you are captain you stand and fight with your boys whether it is hard or easy, whether you are tired or fresh.
One of the reasons Australian cricket has been strong is because of the attitude of the players - ''I miss a game over my dead body''. Strauss is a big-match player, but if he starts missing out then the questions will start flying.
Reminder to England - Ashes tour of Australia is no pyjama game