Willis calls for England overhaul

Bob Willis

Former England captain Bob Willis believes a major overhaul is needed if his country are to move forward in one-day cricket following their humiliating Cricket World Cup campaign.

England were eliminated from the 50-over showpiece at the pool stage, having suffered heavy defeats to Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka prior to a loss against Bangladesh that ended their participation in the tournament.

Peter Moores' side have come in for heavy criticism as a result and Willis - who claimed 405 international wickets for England between 1971 and 1984 - thinks the time has come to jettison a host of experienced players in the limited-overs format.

"I do believe we have to have a complete clear-out. Get rid of all the senior players who let us down in Australia and New Zealand," he told Sky Sports News.

"So out go the likes of Ian Bell and Eoin Morgan from the batting department, and also Anderson and Broad from the bowlers.

"I want to see fresh young faces."

England are not back in one-day action until May, when they face associate nation Ireland in Dublin.

Prior to that, a tour of the Caribbean will see England play three Tests against West Indies, in a series Willis expects to prove straightforward.

"It's difficult to remember, after the embarrassment of the World Cup, but the last time England played Test cricket they won three matches in a row against India last summer," he added.

"They will be playing a depleted West Indies team because a couple of their players have retired from Test match cricket and others are going to be playing in the IPL – and that's a shame that clashes with the West Indian season.

"England should easily beat the West Indies, no doubt about that. But they don't want to kid themselves that if the batsmen come back averaging 50 or 60, they are going to be able to do the same against Australia [in the Ashes]."

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