Vaughan says ‘X-factor’ Buttler can inspire England to World Cup
MANCHESTER, United Kingdom: Jos Buttler gives England the ‘ best chance they have ever had’ of winning the World Cup, according to former captain Michael Vaughan.
Buttler’s 110 not out rescued England from the brink of defeat as they beat Australia by one wicket in the fi fth oneday international at Old Trafford on Sunday to complete a 5- 0 whitewash of the reigning world champions.
England, the world’s top-ranked ODI side, are the tournament hosts for the 2019 World Cup.
But they have never lifted the men’s version of cricket’s premier one- day trophy and haven’t won a knockout match at the tournament since making the last of their three losing appearances in the fi nal back in 1992.
They also failed to get out of the group stage at the most recent edition in 2015.
“I look at the England side and Buttler is the one,” Vaughan told BBC Radio’s Test Match Special.
“Teams that win trophies have Xfactor cricketers. He’s right up there,” he added.
“I’ve got everything crossed that he doesn’t pick up an injury.
“If he’s fit next year, they’ve got the best chance they have ever had,” insisted the former Yorkshire batsman, a veteran of 82 Tests and 86 ODIs from 1999-2008.
England were on the verge of losing on Sunday as they slumped to 114 for chasing chasing just 206 for victory.
But Buttler, assessing the match situation expertly, adjusted his normal policy of all- out aggression to score his slowest ODI hundred -- off 117 balls.
With Adil Rashid he added 81 for the ninth wicket before last man Jake Ball provided enough support as Buttler saw England to victory with nine balls to spare.
“What he provides to the team is that calmness,” said Vaughan of Buttler. “Whenever he is out there in the middle, he reads the game better than most.
“He knows and the team know that the opposition are scared of him more than most.”
Australia captain Tim Paine, like Buttler a wicketkeeper-batsman, said there was no one currently carrying out the dual role in limited-overs cricket playing better than the England star.
“He’s very good and he had a day out,” said Paine of Buttler.
“Right now at the moment he would have to be the best white- ball wicketkeeper-batsman in the world. I don’t think there’s too many guys that would challenge him.
“( India’s) MS Dhoni is pretty good, having said that, but at the moment he ( Buttler) is at the absolute peak of his powers,” Paine added.