It could be long haul for England team

After their second successive defeat, British media predicted that England would find it tough in the series.

After their second successive defeat in the one-dayers, British media predicted that it could be a long haul around India for the England team now.

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Writing in The Sunday Times, Simon Wilde noted that England were treading water when it came to the one-day game and had much to do to match the likes of India.

"One-day cricket requires aggression and a lack of inhibition -- traits that are often understated in the English character," he wrote.

Citing examples, he said explosive hitting comes far more naturally to Australians or Pakistanis or Sri Lankans than it does to Englishmen.

"It is no surprise that Kevin Pietersen, England's most successful one-day batsman, learnt the game overseas. If Michael Vaughan or Ian Bell had a bit more KP in them, they might be much better one day players," Wilde wrote.

The Observer said: "There is nothing so dispiriting as losing a match that you should have won, which was the case in the first game in Delhi, or that you could have won, which was the case in the second one in Faridabad."

However, it said England did not deserve brickbats because they were missing key players.

"An inexperienced team are straining every sinew in alien conditions; sometimes their inexperience is exposed. Too much depends on the key men, Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen. And the team are not quite sure how to win.

"So England do not deserve many brickbats for their efforts so far, but it is debatable whether they are making the most of their resources."

The newspaper was critical of England playing two wicketkeepers and questioned the wisdom of asking keeper-batsman Matt Prior to open the innings.

It said in Faridabad another spinner - Gareth Batty - would have given Flintoff's side a better chance of victory.

"At Faridabad England were either being obstinate or they misread the pitch," the newspaper said.