England deserve to be world number one: Donald

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Impressed with England’s dominating performance in the Lord’s Test, former South African pacer and bowling coach Allan Donald says Andrew Strauss’ men deserve to edge past India as the new world number one in Test cricket.

“England deserve to be the number one, there’s no question about it,” Donald told “BBC Radio 5 live”.

England beat India by 196 runs in the opening Test of the four-match series, putting up a thoroughly clinical performance against their depleted opponents, who were a bowler short after Zaheer Khan’s hamstring injury.

Donald said England are improving with every passing game.

“They are a good side, they’re progressing every game. They’re progressing as a really good unit.”

Donald said in pacers Stuart Broad, Chris Tremlett and James Anderson and spinner Graeme Swann, England have the best bowling attack in the world right now.

“There’s no question. Chris Tremlett, Broad, Anderson and Graeme Swann are fantastic. Then you’ve got a few more in the bank — Tim Bresnan still in the wings,” he said.

“It’s amazing how the guys have grown since 2007. Anderson has led the attack with absolute disdain, Broad has gone through a few ups and downs of late.

“It’s good to see him really back and firing, bowling really well with a lot of aggression too. It’s nice to know you’ve got this current crop who are playing and you’ve also got a few youngsters in the wings as well,” he added.

Donald, who took 330 Test and 272 one-day wickets, said felt India were “ripe for the picking” in the series-opener but expected them to bounce back in the remaining matches, starting with the Trent Bridge Test from Friday.

“India will find a way and [coach] Duncan Fletcher will dig very, very deep to his charges. This is a wake-up call to them.

“Number one is number one but it might not be for very long. They will come back. Zaheer Khan is key to their success,” he said.

“If he’s fit and raring to go, he might have a bit to say in the second Test,” he added.