England fast bowler James Anderson is going to use the one-day series against Sri Lanka in November as a ‘springboard’ to winning the World Cup in the Antipodes in February. The Three Lions are playing nothing but ODIs until the ICC showpiece, as most nations are too, and will play seven ODIs in Sri Lanka. Their most recent series, against India in England, saw the hosts lose three-one.
The Lancashire paceman told ecb.co.uk about his ambitions: “Leading up to a World Cup we’ve never had that focus on one-day cricket.”It’s nice to have that and I think with the one-day game we’ve got a promising squad, a very promising squad. We didn’t get the result we wanted against India so it is something that we obviously need to improve on, starting in Sri Lanka in a couple of months’ time.
“Hopefully we can get some momentum going and build up to Christmas and then once we go to Australia for the World Cup - we’ve got a tri-series before the World Cup - we’ll be in some good form and have an idea of who our strongest XI is.
The World Cup is a huge deal for everyone and it is something that we want to do well in. It’s something that, we’ve never won a 50-over ICC competition so it is something that we are striving for. We’re just hoping that this Sri Lanka tour can be a springboard for that.”
Sutherland stays as Cricket Australia chief
James Sutherland has been reappointed as Cricket Australia’s chief executive beyond the 2015 World Cup, the organisation said yesterday.
Sutherland, 49, took over CA’s top post in 2001 at the age of 35 as the youngest chief executive to be named by the governing body. His latest three-year deal had been due to expire in June 2015.
“I’m very grateful to the board for the confidence and faith it has showed in me to continue as CEO beyond next year,” Sutherland told reporters.
“It is a huge honour to lead the game and I’m as passionate as I have ever been to deliver on our strategy of making cricket Australia’s favourite sport.”
CA chairman Wally Edwards said the board had agreed to move Sutherland off a fixed-term contract that was due to finish after the ICC Cricket World Cup to an ongoing employment arrangement.
“The change recognises the outstanding job James is doing leading Australian cricket,” Edwards said in a note to CA staff.
Australia play a four-match Test series against India followed by a tri-series of one-dayers against India and England this domestic season ahead of the World Cup, which starts in Australia and New Zealand on February 14.
