Roy puts Bangladesh to sword after Moeen repeats powerplay heroics
➤ England opener masters left-arm spin to hit classy 61 ➤ Bowlers set tone in first six overs to maintain perfect start
Two games into their quest to become the first men’s team to hold the ODI and T20 World Cups simultaneously, England have scarcely been challenged.
If England’s eight-wicket victory over Bangladesh was a little less imperious than their thrashing of West Indies, in its own way it was just as impressive: a clinical dissection of the sixth-ranked team in the world. Barring the oppressive Abu Dhabi heat, this was a gentle stroll.
The victory over the West Indies in Dubai was so crushing that England, to a rare degree in international sport, had no need for a Plan B. But the win over Bangladesh showcased the depth and versatility that England will need in the latter stages of the World Cup.
This time, rather than a meagre 56, a savvy, rounded bowling display meant that England had a still paltry 125 to chase. When Bangladesh opened with left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan, Jason Roy duly cut his opening ball for four.
It set the template for an innings in which he scored 61 from 38 balls. As Roy crashed Nasum Ahmed for a straight six to reach his half-century in a swaggering, belligerent innings, it was easy to say this was a vintage Roy knock.
Yet that would not quite be right. This innings is best viewed as evidence of his growth – greater selectivity on slower pitches and his new ease sweeping spin.
“It’s an area of my game I’ve been working extremely hard on, on slow pitches against left-arm spinners,” Roy said. Liam Dawson, a left-arm spinner who is a travelling reserve, is akin to Roy’s private net bowler.
From averaging 18.4 against leftarm spin in 2018-19, Roy averages 30.3 since the start of 2020. He has simplified his method, which now revolves around either using the sweep or hitting the ball straight; he now seldom backs away to give himself room through the off side.
While Roy was named player of the match, once again this victory was set up by England’s excellence in the powerplay. West Indies had slipped to 31 for four after the first six overs. Bangladesh were scarcely better, slumping to 27 for three; thanks to Roy, England were 50 for one in the same period.
As against West Indies, Moeen Ali was entrusted with the opening over. Both decisions are rooted in his fine record against left-handers. Yet, just as against West Indies, he snared the right-handed opener looking to attack in his second over; after launching two fours against Moeen down the ground, Liton Das top-edged an arm ball to Liam Livingstone at backward square. From his very next ball, Moeen claimed the other opener, left-hander Mohammad Naim shimmying down the wicket to mid-on. With two for 18 in his three powerplay overs, Moeen established England’s ascendancy, yet Eoin Morgan would have been as cheered by the performances of his other Birminghamborn opening bowler.
An immaculate spell from Chris Woakes culminated in the wicket of Shakib, succumbing to extra bounce and caught at fine leg. Woakes now has figures of two for 24 from six overs in England’s opening two games. “His line and length has been perfect,” Roy said.
The same has been true of the bulk of the England attack, who have conceded only 179 runs in two games. After Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah lifted Bangladesh to 60 for three after 10 overs, Livingstone was brought on to bowl legspin to the two right-handers. He needed only four balls to snare Rahim lbw when reverse-sweeping and later added Mahmudullah.
As is his wont, Livingstone switched between leg-spin, his stronger suit, and off-spin from ball to ball when confronted by a left and right-handed pair. His two for 15, from three overs, further endorse England’s approach of using Livingstone and Moeen to share fifthbowling duties, although Saturday’s opponents Australia – who have only one left-hander in their top six – will offer a tougher test for Moeen.
On the boundary rope, analyst Nathan Leamon could again be seen signalling using numbers – one to signal which bowler should bowl, and one to signal the type of field that England should use. The only plan that did not quite work was using Adil Rashid at the death; Ahmed targeted the short leg-side boundary to hit Bangladesh’s only two sixes in the 19th over.
That allowed Tymal Mills to continue his terrific form and showcase the death bowling for which he was recalled. Mills’s pace and back-of-alength style only yielded 27 runs before he ended the innings with his third wicket, via a pinpoint yorker – a new trick. It was in keeping with a performance that showed off not merely England’s quality, but also their improvements.