England told to get aggressive
England urged to rediscover fighting spirit ahead of second ODI in India
Last Updated: November 15, 2008 7:28pm
Moores: Aggression needed
England coach Peter Moores wants his side to reclaim their aggressive streak in their next one-dayer against India.
The summer's impressive 4-0 series defeat of South Africa, characterised by the often bullying tactics of a four-strong seam attack, seemed like ancient history after England's first ODI in India.
But Moores believes England can get back on track from their crushing 158-run defeat in the opening one-day international in Rajkot if they find that killer instinct once more.
"We thought we were a bit tentative in the way we played and could have been more aggressive in everything we did," he said.
"We played some really good one-day cricket towards the end of our English summer against South Africa and we want to make sure we go out and back ourselves to play that sort of cricket out here in India - they are slightly different conditions but it's still a 50-over game and simple basics still apply.
Aggressive brand
"I think we can be more aggressive as a unit and take that into the next game and not wait for the game to take shape - we actually go and make it. We have to remind ourselves how we play our brand of cricket and play that brand of cricket in different places."
That kind of humiliating defeat doesn't tend to augur well for any tour - especially one that England have failed to win since 1984-5.
But only last year, England came back from a 119-run defeat in the first match in Sri Lanka and went on to win the series 3-2.
Moores believes that can happen again, saying: "We've had a couple of knockbacks, but that's part of what international sport is about.
Bounce back
"You're judged by how well you take those knockbacks and how you react to it as a team, and we're in that place at the moment.
"There's a long way to go in the series - still six games to go. We had a great one-day scrap with India in England a couple of years ago when we won the first one quite convincingly and they bounced straight back - and we'd like to do the same."
England have their chance in Indore on Monday, but one man unlikely to be a part of it is Ryan Sidebottom.
The seamer is still recovering from an Achilles problem and will have a fitness test on Sunday, but Moores conceded he's unlikely to risk him.
Ryan Sidebottom
