He’s wasted in finisher role

NASSER HUSSAIN

THERE is only one issue for me when it comes to Jos Buttler in one-day cricket — where do England bat him? Yes, his statistics in the final 10 overs of an innings are peerless in terms of his strike-rate, but you do him and the team a disservice if you restrict him to being the ‘finisher’. Historically, players in that role such as Michael Bevan and Lance Klusener wouldn’t be moved because they weren’t quite as effective in other situations. But, if I am an opposition captain, I am very happy while Buttler is not at the crease. The game’s not won until he’s out. The challenge is to work out when he comes in because if it’s any time after 35 overs, England are wasting an incredible talent. He’s ruthless in what he does, tearing attacks apart in a calculated manner. Even if you bowl well — and I have seen sides nail their yorkers to him — he can still do unbelievable things. If you don’t bowl well against him, watch out. Pakistan didn’t bowl well in Southampton. At the death, they kept putting the ball in the slot. Do that to Buttler and you disappear every single time. He’s that clinical. Undoubtedly, Buttler is a world-class superstar, and someone who could end up right at the top of the tree as far as England and one-day batting are concerned. What I like about him is his complete lack of ego. He’s just a cool, calm, smiling assassin. He plays the right shot for the situation every time. There’s no sense of him trying to play the shot of the day. He has a crystal-clear thought process. Buttler is one of several England batsmen able to make game-changing contributions, but what we saw at the Ageas Bowl was a lack of X-factor in the bowling. Jofra Archer was rested and the start of this series has highlighted the old saying that you become a better cricketer when you are out of the side. The two pitches England have played on so far make it an unfair comparison between what Archer did under grey skies, with a bit of green in the pitch, at the Oval and what his rivals for a World Cup place were faced with at the Ageas Bowl — one of the flattest surfaces about. But that is what you’re going to get in the World Cup. In general, bat will dominate ball and in the middle overs you are going to need X-factor pace to take wickets. Archer must provide that, but I don’t think there is room for him and Wood in the same squad. Saturday was a big day for David Willey, whose three overs at the death were critical. He’s gone up the World Cup pecking order and that leaves Wood with a big week ahead.