England's Kit Confusion

As you all know, it's not about the batsmen, the bowlers, the pinch-hitters or the death bowlers. The Cricket World Cup is all about the kits that the teams will be wearing. The fashions of the World Cup are big - with new shirts highly trumpeted and millions sold worldwide. Not too long ago we saw a whole evening devoted to the launch of the Proteas World Cup kit (to mixed reviews), but despite the fact that England are likely to have a nice new shirt, there's been a deathly silence.

There's nothing on the ECB website. There's nothing on the adidas website (who don't have a cricket specific page - or even recognise it under the "Other Sports" section). There's been absolutely nothing said by anyone. We don't even know for 100% definite that there's even going to be a new shirt worn at the World Cup.

While this is a very minor issue in the grand plan of winning the World Cup, it isn't the greatest chapter in the history of the ECB or adidas' public relations. The launch of the kit, as seen when South Africa had a big gala unveiling of theirs, can be a great event to whet the appetite of the cricketing public ahead of the World Cup. And for kids (OK, mostly me), seeing a new kit is really cool and exciting. The ECB and adidas have missed a big trick, as if they had a big launch, it would create a real buzz about the kit, and people would be rushing down the shops to get their nice new World Cup shirt with "Wright 6" or "Tredwell 53" on the back. As it is, there's nothing. Just me, constantly searching the internet for anything about the kit.

Here's how adidas had a go in the past - the launch of test, ODI and T20 shirts in 2008. Bit better than the silence of 2011. And it's got Tim Ambrose, which is always a plus.




Given that adidas have just launched a new shirt for South Africa, I'm going to assume that England are using the same template, with the green and yellow subsituted for red and blue. After much sweeping of the internet, I've found a potential artist's impression. No idea if this is going to be the real deal, but it's the best we've got.

Graeme Smith in the Proteas adidas World Cup kit

Is this the kit? Who knows...

This England shirt (if there even is a new shirt and they aren't just keeping the current navy-with-green-armpit one) won't be getting a big launch with fanfares, cheerleaders or fireworks. It will more likely than not be first seen on whoever walks onto the pitch first in the warm up against Canada on Wednesday. Hardly the big launch that it deserves. Mainly because I love a good kit launch.