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Home  » Cricket » Kiwi captain McCullum not taking England lightly

Kiwi captain McCullum not taking England lightly

June 09, 2015 11:40 IST
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Eoin Morgan calls for England to make a 'fresh start' after dismal World Cup

England captain Eoin Morgan (left) and New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum with the Royal London One-day series trophy ahead of Tuesday's opening match at Edgbaston

England captain Eoin Morgan (left) and New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum with the Royal London One-day series trophy ahead of Tuesday's opening match at Edgbaston. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images

New Zealand expect a new-look England squad to match their aggressive style of cricket in the five-game One-day series, captain Brendon McCullum said on Monday.

Following a dismal World Cup campaign, England are resting key players, including fast bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad, for the series against the Kiwis which starts in Birmingham on Tuesday.

Young seamer Mark Wood, destructive top-order batsman Alex Hales and wicketkeeper Sam Billings will hope to get the chance to impress.

"I like the look of the squad, I think it's an exciting squad they've picked," McCullum told Sky Sports.

"It's obviously a little bit raw but it's full of talented players who are pretty aggressive with bat and ball.

"England have got some really dangerous players and judging by the comments coming out of their camp they're looking forward to branching out a little bit," McCullum said.

The two sides fought out a gripping 1-1 draw in the Test series, with England winning the first match at Lord's before the Kiwis struck back to seal a comprehensive victory at Headingley last week.

'We're looking to fight fire with fire'

England's Steven Finn bowls in the nets 

England's Steven Finn bowls in the nets on Monday. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images

"The Test matches were played in great spirit and I'm sure this will be the same," McCullum said.

"Both teams will relish the opportunity to pit their skills against the other."

New Zealand reached this year's World Cup final playing a supremely positive and energetic brand of cricket.

"The way we went about it throughout the World Cup gives us a good chance and, hopefully, on the back of a pretty good Test series we'll play a similar style and can continue to build on that," McCullum said.

England fast bowler Steven Finn said the hosts would be looking to match the New Zealanders' positive and innovative tactics.

“They are obviously very strong. To get to the final of the World Cup is no mean feat," Finn told the England and Wales Cricket Board website.

“They’re an exceptional one-day side but we’re looking to go toe-to-toe with them and we’re looking to fight fire with fire."

England field inexperienced side

England captain Eoin Morgan (centre) shares a joke with teammates during the team's nets session

England captain Eoin Morgan (centre) shares a joke with teammates during the team's nets session. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images

England’s ODI skipper Eoin Morgan wants his side to move on from the dismal performance at the World Cup and make a fresh start in the upcoming five-match series against New Zealand.

England failed to beat a single Test nation at this year's World Cup as they suffered a first-round exit, which included an eight-wicket thrashing by New Zealand in Wellington.

Morgan took over the One-day captaincy from Alastair Cook in December, two months before the start of the World Cup.

Experienced players like James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Ian Bell, Gary Ballance, Moeen Ali, Ravi Bopara and James Tredwell have been left out of the squad and relatively inexperienced players James Taylor, Alex Hales, Jason Roy, Adil Rashid, David Willey and Mark Wood have been included, as has uncapped Kent wicketkeeper-batsman Sam Billings.

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