Bairstow’s out but the kickabouts won’t stop
ENGLAND’S cricketers can carry on playing football despite the injury to Jonny Bairstow which has left him racing to be fit for the start of England’s Test series against Sri Lanka. Bairstow has already missed the last two matches of the limited-overs series after damaging ankle ligaments playing football and it was confirmed yesterday that he will sit out the finale tomorrow and a Twenty20 on Saturday. The first Test is in Galle on November 6. England captain Eoin Morgan has confirmed that football, the squad’s much-loved warmup of choice, will not be banned and several players took part in a game on the morning of the fourth ODI. If Bairstow is ruled out of the first Test, Jos Buttler will take the gloves as he did for one Test of last summer’s series against India. One player in action tomorrow is Adil Rashid, who can become the most prolific oneday bowler since the 2015 World Cup. Statistically speaking, four wickets at Colombo’s Premadasa Stadium would see the Yorkshire legspinner take up the mantle of number one, surpassing Rashid Khan’s haul of 118 in that period. It would also provide credence to team-mate and close friend Moeen Ali’s claim that England are currently blessed with the best 50-over bowler on the planet. ‘He’s always had skill and ability but I think now he’s at his peak as a spinner,’ said Moeen. ‘He’s got all the skills, he can actually bowl like Rashid Khan. He’s got all the balls and I think — now he’s really found his pace and his trajectory — he’s right up there. ‘I know Rashid Khan is probably (considered) the best but I think Rash, in my opinion, is even better.’ Relentless rain in Sri Lanka has restricted the 30-year-old to just 17 overs from a possible 40 but he has again proven his value to Morgan’s number one-ranked team with five wickets at 17.40 runs apiece. Following his Ed Smithinstigated recall in the summer, he is also likely to be integral to English plans in the threematch Test series. So much so that captain Joe Root recently primed Rashid to be prepared to open the bowling if the pitches replicate the dry dust bowls thrown up to South Africa earlier this year.