FIRST THE KIWIS THEN THE WORLD
JONNY BAIRSTOW says England will use tonight’s ODI decider against New Zealand as a dress rehearsal for next year’s World Cup.
England fluffed their line when losing last summer’s Champions Trophy semi-final to Pakistan in Cardiff. Next year they will aim to win their first-ever 50-over World Cup when hosting the tournament.
The cut and thrust of knockout matches is hard to replicate outside major competitions. But this series decider offers an opportunity for England to test their mettle in a winner-takes-all clash.
“It’s huge,” said Bairstow. “It’s what we play for, the reason you play international sport. It will set us up nicely, to put ourselves under that pressure, looking to the World Cup.
“It’s in 16 months. This is part of the journey, getting it right for then.”