England captain Alastair Cook has set his side a target of winning the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
The last few years have seen Cook and his men dominate the Test arena, winning the Ashes on three successive occasions but despite their form, they have never been able to consistently repeat the trick in the 50-over format.
England did manage three runners-up finishes in the early incarnations of the World Cup, but have failed to make it past the last eight in the last two editions.
Things have started to look up recently though, with Ashley Giles’ team reaching the final of the Champions Trophy in June, only to lose to India at a rainy Edgbaston.
Questions still remain over the make-up of the side though, with some critics even arguing that Cook’s inability to score runs at a consistent rate should see him lose his place in the team.
The skipper isn’t concerned though and with 500 days to go until the tournament gets underway in Christchurch, the opener has now set his squad the challenge of winning the event.
“We got close to winning our first 50-over ICC event finishing as runners up in the ICC Champions Trophy 2013 and will be working hard in the coming months to ensure we give ourselves the best possible opportunity to go one step further in 2015,” he told the ECB. “We have been improving steadily as a one-day side in recent years and are very much looking forward to the challenge of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.
“Playing cricket in Australia and New Zealand is always a fantastic experience and I have no doubt it will be another great occasion both for the teams and their supporters.”
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