Bairstow wants more one-day action

Leeds – Jonny Bairstow is determined to nail down a place in England’s one-day team after his latest “supersub” display helped condemn Pakistan to a defeat on his Headingley home ground.

First-choice Test wicket-keeper Bairstow was only told he was playing by England coach Trevor Bayliss 30 minutes before the start of Thursday’s match after regular one-day gloveman Jos Buttler suffered a hamstring injury in the warm-up.

Bairstow responded with an assured display behind the stumps.

He then made a brisk 61 and helped Ben Stokes (69) add 103 for the fifth wicket as England, who had stumbled to 72/4 chasing a target of 248, eventually won by four wickets to go 4-0 up in this five-match series.

There has been talk of England, the hosts of both the 2017 Champions Trophy and 2019 World Cup one-day tournaments, playing both Buttler and Bairstow in the same white-ball side.

But in the meantime Bairstow, who has already scored nearly 1 000 runs in Test cricket this year, is desperate to make the most of any chances he gets.

“Naturally I’m frustrated not to be in that XI week in week out. Every time I get an opportunity I want to try to impress and that’s all I can do,’’ he said.

“Whether that be keeping wicket, just playing as a batter, batting at one or 11 – every time you go out there you try to do your best.” – AFP