Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
GO JONNY GO, GO, GO
Bairstow’s pace is turning nones into ones and ones into twos and putting England on fast lane to glory
JONNY BAIRSTOW has been credited with speeding the pace of England’s white-ball revolution.
It is in the scampering department where Bairstow brings an extra dimension to England’s one-day skills, with a fleetness of foot that would not be out of place on the wing for his beloved Leeds Rhinos.
And, along with fellow terrier Joe Root, the pair harried and hurried the West Indies’ fielders into mistakes as England romped to a seven-wicket victory in the first ODI at Old Trafford.
Bairstow turned nones into ones and ones into twos in his maiden one-day ton, and going into today’s second clash, Root (below, top) said: “Jonny has a great game.
“He can be destructive at the back end of an innings or in the powerplay up front, and he also works and rotates the strike very well. He’s very quick between the wickets, always putting fielders and bowlers under pressure and it makes it a lot easier batting when there’s someone so quick to get the runs with you.”
The Yorkshire pair shared a 125-run partnership in the first ODI. “That was what Jonny did really well, he picked up every single and really challenged the guys on the rope,” added Root. “We were also getting the twos and threes when we could. “It’s such an important part of one-day cricket, to scrape together every single run.
“It’s so frustrating as a bowler when you feel like you are bowling good deliveries, but the batsman scratches a single, then, when you miss your mark, it goes for four. Instead of going at four an over, you end up going at seven, eight or nine an over.”
Root was flying alongside Bairstow at Old Trafford and showed no signs of tiredness at the back end of a busy first summer as England Test captain.
He is back in the ranks as a batsman only for the one-dayers, but the Ashes won’t be too far from his mind, with a selection meeting taking place yesterday and with concerns remaining over three batting slots. Former skipper and current managing director Andrew Strauss (above) admitted: “The concern I have is the concern most people have, which is that we haven’t been able to create a team where 11 players are fully established
“I’d be lying if I said we were going to Australia with absolute clarity on what our best XI is, but, if we start well, then I think we are in a great position to win.
“It’s the biggest challenge an England captain will have. Certainly, for me, it was my greatest moment as England captain and I think Joe will be incredibly motivated to do that early in his captaincy career.”
ROARING RORY HAS RIVALS ON RUN IN A MUST-WIN
RORY KLEINVELDT took a career-best 9-65 to put Northamptonshire in the driving seat against promotion rivals Nottinghamshire.
In a match Northants must win, the South African (above) took the five last Notts wickets on day two to bowl them out for 151. Richard Levi then smashed 115 as Northants made 270 in their second innings with Ben Duckett unable to bat. Set a target of 314, Notts reached 33-2 at close of play.