BAIRSTOW HITS 174-REMINDER OF HIS CLASS
JONNY BAIRSTOW laid down a 174-run marker to remind England’s one-day coach and captain what he can bring to the white-ball party.
And he did it opening the innings for Yorkshire in a six-wicket win over Durham – proving his versatility across every batting spot.
It was a career-best for Bairstow and the highest-ever List A score at Headingley.
“I got a chance and you have to take every one you get,” he said. “I missed one the other night and luckily it didn’t cost us. When you get a chance, you want to go on and make it pay.
“It’s either bat up top or bat six when you look at the line-up we’ve got at the moment. You want to play, you want to bat. If I can spend as much time out in the middle as I can, hopefully I can put in performances that help us win games of cricket.”
Bairstow may have enjoyed a record-breaking year in Test matches in 2016, but recently he has been outside the England ODI team.
He hits the ball as hard as any batsman and one of his seven sixes, pulled over midwicket, was sweet timing combined with raw power.
He added 189 for the second wicket with Joe Root, who made 55, but they now go on international duty against Ireland. Without the gloves, Bairstow has a chance to impress with the bat tomorrow and Sunday to try to force his way into the reckoning for the Champions Trophy. an Australian captain and an Indian legend – and outperform them.
“It builds a huge amount of confidence and it’s a huge stepping block for us as England cricketers.
“It makes us grow as a group, knowing we have a player who potentially is the best in the world.”
England players have been learning off the field too with Jos Buttler enjoying a two-hour chat with the world’s best wicket-keeper batsman in AB de Villiers when their sides met in Mumbai.
Morgan believes it all helps. “We have all the attributes to win the Champions Trophy – it has come at a great time for us,” he added.