Buttler finds a way to rescue the whitewash
FOR so long yesterday, England’s expected stroll to a whitewash looked like turning into a washout instead.
That was until the extraordinary Jos Buttler thrillingly and almost single-handedly rescued a piece of cricketing history for his country with an unbeaten 110 that was breathtaking even by his freakish standards.
It really should have been straightforward for England to complete their first 5-0 demolition of Australia in any format.
Yet, after producing a close to perfect performance in the field, they so nearly made a complete horlicks of what should have been a routine chase towards Australia’s woefully under-par 205 all out in just 34.4 overs.
When England crashed to 114 for eight after one of those spectacular collapses that still punctuate their unparalleled one-day cricket, Australia looked guaranteed a consolation victory at the end of a nightmare Royal London series.
But cometh the hour, cometh the man. Buttler eschewed much of his usual flamboyance to bat with considerable maturity and skill to take England to a nailbiting one-wicket victory they had no real right to reach.
It says everything about the measure of the innings that Buttler faced more than 100 balls for the first time in a one-day international.
It was indisputably the best century even this unique cricketer has produced.
Buttler, who had been outstanding with the gloves, had entered with England tottering at 27 for four and had attempted to steady the ship while all around him floundered.
Then, at last, he found the perfect partner in Adil Rashid to take England to within ten runs of their target. This low-scoring but mesmerising fifth one-day international took another twist when Rashid gave it away as the finishing line came into view, leaving Buttler with just Jake Ball for company. But the fast bowler proved equal to the challenge.
Buttler smashed Marcus Stoinis for six to go to a sublime century but left Ball on strike with five needed. As the tension grew, Ball played out a maiden from Ashton Agar with every dot ball cheered to the Old Trafford rafters.
Those nerves were cranked up when Buttler took a single from the first ball of Kane Richardson’s next over but Ball was calmness personified and took a single himself before Buttler completed the job with nine balls to spare.
How exciting this was and how refreshing that the ball did not have to be disappearing to all parts of Manchester to provide gripping entertainment for a capacity crowd.
It turns out, amid all the batting records, a balanced contest on a pitch that gives bowlers a chance can be fun, too.
‘It was just pure elation,’ said Buttler after the nail-biting one-wicket victory. ‘I think you get most flustered when it gets to within touching distance and then know it only takes one shot but then it was just a great feeling because we didn’t have any right to win that game.’
Australia were their usual shambolic selves when they batted, throwing away the great start Aaron Finch and Travis Head gave them in reaching 60 after 6.3 overs. Nothing demonstrated England’s superiority in the field better than the outstanding wicketkeeping and athleticism of that man Buttler, who executed a sharp stumping and a brilliant run out.
First Buttler saw that Shaun Marsh had momentarily lifted his heel while advancing to Moeen and whipped off the bails.
Then he took advantage of a terrible piece of running by Australia captain Tim Paine to swoop and throw down the stumps.
It completed a series of pain for Paine, who scored just 36 runs in the five matches and looked both confused and exposed tactically.
‘It does sting a lot,’ said Paine, who now faces a fight to stay in the Australian one-day team.
‘I’m not sure if losing 5-0 or 4-1 makes much difference but to lose five games in a row is very disappointing.’