BAYLISS: WE WILL ATTACK TO TAKE ON THE WORLD

TREVOR BAYLISS insists England will continue to live by the sword even though their tour of South Africa disintegrated from the high of a Test series victory to five successive one-day defeats. England’s coach accepts that his young side cannot carry on the kamikaze cricket that saw them lose seven wickets for 14 runs at the Wanderers on Sunday. Yet Bayliss (below) will not compromise the principles that have transformed England’s oneday team in the last year and says they will remain on the attack in next month’s World Twenty20. ‘I can guarantee you one thing,’ said Bayliss. ‘The team that wins the World Twenty20 will be the boldest team there. They will be a team that goes out and plays good, aggressive cricket. ‘If we go to India and try to be too nice, or if we are not as positive as we have been when we’ve played well, then we definitely won’t win because there will be other teams there with the confidence and ability to play that way.’ Perhaps the biggest concern from England’s slaughtering in The Bullring was an apparent case of muddled limited-overs thinking when they brought in an extra batsman in Sam Billings for a bowler in David Willey. However, the spectacular tailing off of this tour does not mean they have suddenly become a bad limited-overs side and they will remain contenders for the World Twenty20 title if they can finesse their attacking gameplan. ‘On the whole I am happy,’ said Bayliss. ‘We have shown we can compete with the very best and our bowling attack will be better suited to Indian conditions. ‘The disappointing thing is that we had our chances and let them slip. In the same breath that gives us confidence going forward.’