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England - the most improved team
Another year draws to a close. Straightening of a bent elbow when bowling has dominated headlines and debate. Out of the blues the West Indies stunned all by winning the ICC Champions Trophy. In between these happenings England earned respectability and slid-up the ratings. After a long while they have found players who can match up to the other top players in the world.

Down at the bottom of the pit Zimbabwe and Bangladesh keep getting ground to the dust whenever they attempt to compete. Neither team shows any promise that they are going to fare much better in the coming year.

Pakistan have players who can survive in sub-continent conditions. Just when they looked like gathering a new crop of players, they have faltered and fallen away.

Their captain Inzamam-ul-haq is feeling the strain of many years of hard grind. The injuries are affecting his game and disappearances from the side are becoming more regular. The year ahead will be even tougher. Their youth might be competitive in one day cricket, but Bob Woolmer and the authorities have to face the fact that they do not have players who can face the real "test".

The gloom, which hung over the West Indian camp, was temporally lifted by Brian Lara's world record breaking batting performance and then winning the ICC Championship trophy. In a week when every piece of the jigsaw fell into place, the unpredictable team from the Caribbean snatched all the glory. No one gave them a chance at the start of the tournament. No one gave them a chance when they reached the semi final. Not even when they made it to the final. Even though the final see-sawed, England looked like they will get home. But an almighty ninth wicket stand by two unlikely heroes saw the West Indies reach the winning post. South Africa were the biggest disappointment. Are they running into problems with selection? They are doing their utmost to increase the number of coloured players in the side. That is fine provided it is not at the expense of better white players. Even at this moment when they are battling against the Englishmen, it is apparent that all is not well.

India and New Zealand also did not perform upto expectations. Both teams could not satisfy their potential with consistent performances. Both teams suffered from players affected by injury and loss of form. It is always possible to replace a couple of players but any more than that is tough for most teams.

Not so with the Australians. Although ousted in the semi-final of the Champions trophy, they have maintained the top slot in both forms of the game. Quality players keep rolling in and those in the side increase their workload to improve their game. No team looks like being able to give them a run at the moment.

Sri Lanka, with a fit Muttiah Muralitharan, is the most experienced outfit in world cricket. Overall during the year, they fared better than their Asian counterparts India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Now they need to prove themselves overseas. The opportunity beckons right now, to tame the New Zealanders.

The coming-of-age of Steve Harmison, Andrew Flintoff and Andrew Strauss, has transformed England. The old hands Vaughan, Thorpe, Butcher, Giles, Geoff, Hoggard, Trescothick have performed consistently this year. Add Garraint and Steve Jones to that list and it is a very good, balanced unit. They play the Aussies during the next English summer. It should be a worthy duel. This England team now believe in themselves, having notched wins at home and away, in recent years. They were the most improved team of 2004.

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