Roy credits ‘normal life’ for England ODI heroics
Jason Roy revealed he went through a “dark time” over the winter and believes a couple of months of normal family life played a key role in his latest star turn for England.
Roy marked his 100th one-day international with a typically assertive 73 from 60 balls as England moved into anunassailable2-0serieslead against the Netherlands after asix-wicketvictoryonSunday.
It came just three months afterRoywasgivenasuspended two-match ban and fined bytheCricketDisciplineCommission,thereasonsforwhich werenotdisclosedbytheEnglandandWalesCricketBoard.
He did not shed any light onwhatledtohispunishment butadmittedheenduredaturbulent start to the year, despondentathavingtobeapart from his son, born in January, forthePakistanSuperLeague.
Worn out by coronavirus bubbles, Roy withdrew from the Indian Premier League and took a “short indefinite break” from cricket but believessometimewithhisfamily reinvigorated him.
“Things mentally weren’t right with me at the PSL,” he said.“IwasinaweirdplacebecauseIwasplayinggoodcricketbutIwasn’tenjoyingmyself, I wasn’t happy and it was just a dark time. It was just a good twomonthstocomehomeand live a normal life for a bit after a tough couple of years.
“(There were) a lot of months away. Over 50 days of
hotel quarantine the year before and then having a child in January and having to spend time away from him was just a bit too much.”
Roy’s first 50-over innings for England ended in a firstballduckin2015butsetinmotion a sequence of events that ended with them memorably beingcrownedworldchampions four years later.
Even now, Roy is the linchpin opening batter responsibleforsettingthetempoatthe startoftheinningsandhehastened their pursuit of hauling
downtheNetherlands’235for seven in Amstelveen.
Five of his first nine balls weredispatchedforfourwhile he shared a 139-ball opening stand with Phil Salt, who followed up a century in the opening ODI with 77 here that broke the back of the chase.
“Tobeinvolvedwithateam like this for 100 games is ridiculous,” said Roy, who was presented with his 100th cap by Moeen Ali. “It’s an incredible feeling.Itkindofcreptup.The hundred feels very special.
“At least the 100th game
was better than my first innings! But it’s an incredible feeling – whether I got 70 or nought here, it would have been a special day.”
Roy made just a single in England’s world-record 498 for four 48 hours earlier, bowled by his cousin Shane Snater. The opening batter laughed off the dismissal on Sunday.
“He did buy me a drink,” Roy with a smile. “Water under the bridge – we don’t talk about it any more.”
While Roy sliced to short
third, it was the downfall of Salt that started a mini collapse that saw England lose threewicketsinthespaceof19 balls, with Eoin Morgan making a second successive duck.
Dawid Malan’s 36 not out and Moeen’s unbeaten 42 ultimatelygotthemovertheline with29ballstosparebutMorgan’sleantrotcontinuingonce againraisedeyebrowsonaday his opposite number Pieter Seelaar announced his retirement from all international cricket because of persistent back injuries.