Image Credit- ICC
England are unbeatable when they are at their best.
However, they have barely made a dent in their opponents’ batting innings in
their opening three World Cup games against New Zealand and Afghanistan, from
which they never really recovered.
Jonny Bairstow took 12 runs off the first over of the
match on the opening day of the tournament in Ahmedabad by hitting the second
ball he faced for six and flicking Trent Boult over square leg. However,
England only managed to reach 51 for 1 after 10 overs before losing wickets
with the new ball as New Zealand sped to 81 for 1 at the same point.
In Delhi, the contrast was almost as pronounced on
Sunday night. Afghanistan got off to a quick start thanks to Rahmanullah
Gurbaz, who dismissed Chris Woakes and Sam Curran as they reached 79 off their
first 10 overs without losing a wicket. England made only 52 for 2 in its first
powerplay when the new ball was swinging under lights, losing Bairstow and Joe
Root early.
at their other game, an easy win over Bangladesh at
Dharamshala, England got off to a strong start and had the game won by the end
of their bowling powerplay. Bangladesh was reduced to 57 for 4 after Reece
Topley grabbed three wickets in the first 10 overs; Bairstow and Dawid Malan
had batted unharmed, scoring 61 runs.
The major problem for England is that they have
consistently cost the most money during the first powerplay, allowing 7.23 runs
per over. Mott supported Woakes during his Tuesday media meeting, but they will
undoubtedly think about inserting David Willey against South Africa.
But in the opening 10 overs, England has attempted to
mix enthusiasm and durability with the bat. They were fourth among the 10 teams
competing in the World Cup as of Wednesday morning in terms of both scoring
rate (5.46 per over) and starting powerplay batting average (54.66).
The new balls in ODI cricket have swung more than they
used to during the past three years, but England still thinks the best way to
stop that is by hitting early boundaries, ideally into the LED billboards or
the stands. “If you get a couple of scuffs on it early doors, that can
change it,” Bairstow stated.
But he should have a chance to start off strong in
Saturday night’s match against South Africa at a location with pace, bounce,
and a small playing area. If he succeeds, Bairstow will be able to set the tone
for England’s batting order, which needs to recover its aggressiveness.