England Vs Canada
After the disciplinary problems after their first match England managed to keep their focus, dispatching Canada by 51 runs in St Lucia, to open their World Cup account. Ed Joyce and Paul Collingwood made 50 in themiddle order and helped England reach a good score.But while England have avoided adding their name to the list of upsets from Saturday, the performance didn't quell the major doubts surrounding the team.
After Liam Plunkett grabbed two in his first spell, Ashif Mulla provided the England attack with a wake-up call as he launched 58 off 60 balls in a fifth-wicket stand of 97 with Abdool Samad. The runs came with ease, but after falling to 65 for 4 in the 17th over the target was always out of reach, although the lower-order kept the entertainment going. It highlighted the importance of the breathing space created by the 81-run stand between Collingwood and Ravi Bopara plus the eight-ball 23 from Paul Nixon.
Collingwood was his usual self, biding his time before unleashing in the closing overs as Canada lost their disciplines. Samad was banned from the attack in his sixth over after bowling two waist-high full tosses, although England didn't have much trouble scoring off them with Collingwood's fifty taking 41 balls. The 65-ball stand put England into a comfort zone, then Nixon provided a thumping finish as he reverse-hit the death bowlers over the ropes. The final ten overs brought 98 runs. Bopara continued to impress in his first World Cup match with a delivery that nipped away to take Ian Billcliff's offstump.
Player of the match PD Collingwood
After Liam Plunkett grabbed two in his first spell, Ashif Mulla provided the England attack with a wake-up call as he launched 58 off 60 balls in a fifth-wicket stand of 97 with Abdool Samad. The runs came with ease, but after falling to 65 for 4 in the 17th over the target was always out of reach, although the lower-order kept the entertainment going. It highlighted the importance of the breathing space created by the 81-run stand between Collingwood and Ravi Bopara plus the eight-ball 23 from Paul Nixon.
Collingwood was his usual self, biding his time before unleashing in the closing overs as Canada lost their disciplines. Samad was banned from the attack in his sixth over after bowling two waist-high full tosses, although England didn't have much trouble scoring off them with Collingwood's fifty taking 41 balls. The 65-ball stand put England into a comfort zone, then Nixon provided a thumping finish as he reverse-hit the death bowlers over the ropes. The final ten overs brought 98 runs. Bopara continued to impress in his first World Cup match with a delivery that nipped away to take Ian Billcliff's offstump.
Player of the match PD Collingwood
