Plunkett revels in role of the elder statesman
If any England player knows about the changing face of one-day cricket, it’s Liam Plunkett.
Having made his debut as far back as December 2005, he has witnessed the seismic shift in scoring rates at first hand, sometimes finding himself on the receiving end as batsmen have increasingly thrown caution to the wind in both the 20 and 50-over format.
It’s testimony to Plunkett’s ability to adapt to these changes that he has emerged as a key performer for Eoin Morgan’s side since the end of a World Cup campaign that ended in ignominy Down Under two years ago.
His 4-59 against Bangladesh yesterday followed three wickets against South Africa at the Ageas Bowl last weekend which were every bit as crucial as Ben Stokes’ blistering hundred against the tourists.
His dismissal of AB de Villiers – caught behind by Jos Buttler as he threatened to take the game away from England – was also the decisive scalp in a see-saw battle decided by the final over brilliance of his former county colleague, Mark Wood.
And his ability to make an impact at crucial stages has been evident since his return to the side in 2015.
“You need a cool head because you can get hit for three fours in a row but then take a wicket which can change the course of a game,” he said. “If you bowl in the powerplay and the opposition are chasing a score of 330 then they’re not going to try and knock you around for three an over, are they.
“If you can keep them down to 60 (off your ten overs), then you’re happy and if you pick up valuable wickets, particularly against people who can score runs quickly, then you’re doing a great job.
“Taking wickets wins matches at the end of the day, particularly in one-day cricket today. It varies, of course, at Headingley (in the opening match of the South Africa series) I went for four an over but the wicket was a bit slower.”
Plunkett’s rise to elder statesman has been a lengthy one. It has included a long-spell in the international wilderness and a period when he even questioned whether he had a future at first-class level.
During England’s Champions Trophy campaign, though, Plunkett could play a key role as England look to win a major 50-over trophy for the first time.
His own involvement in tournament cricket has been limited to three matches in England’s ill-fated World Cup campaign in the West Indies in 2007.
Easy to forget that some of this England team would have still been at school while England were taught a predictably harsh lesson in the Caribbean. Now, a decade on, Plunkett is very much a senior figure in the dressing room regardless of the fact that his 53 one-day caps are dwarfed by the majority of the players in the England squad.
“People are quite open in that dressing room now, which is quite nice,” he says.
“But as one of the older guys, you do try and speak to the other bowlers and be a bit of a calming influence, if you can.
“Generally, I think we all try and see it as just another game of cricket, despite the fact you’re playing for your country and that’s always a big deal.
“But if you take it in your stride and break it down, then you’re essentially doing something you’ve done since you were a kid.We all love what we do and you can’t ever forget how lucky you are to do it.”
If England can finally break their 50-over hoodoo then there could be plenty of adoration coming his way. Plenty will argue that it’s long overdue.