Malan: Simply the best
BUT WORLD’S HOTTEST T20 BATSMAN IS NOT EVEN A SHOO-IN FOR ENGLAND!
DAWId MALAN can today make the transition from fringe player to T20 fulcrum as England seek to protect their new status as the world’s No 1 team with a rejigged top order against Australia.
Vice-captain Jos Buttler, who inspired England to a series-clinching 2-0 lead on Sunday with a blistering unbeaten 77, has decided to leave the team bubble early and spend time with his family.
That means Malan, 33, will come in after the opening pair of Jonny Bairstow and Tom Banton — with both players looking to push the injured Jason Roy for the chance to become Buttler’s permanent partner. Health checks permitting, Buttler will return in time for the three-match one-day series starting in Manchester on Friday.
But with ECB medical staff concerned about the state of Eoin Morgan’s right ring finger after it was dislocated in the field during England’s six-wicket win at the weekend, there is a chance the captaincy could pass to Moeen Ali for the first time in his career.
Buttler’s absence, along with Banton’s promotion, leaves a slot free in the middle order for Sam Billings, Joe denly or reserve batsman Liam Livingstone. Billings must be favourite after batting at No 6 in the recent Pakistan series.
Whatever the extent of England’s reshuffle, the onus will be on Malan to build on a remarkable T20 record that has left him with the highest batting average — 50.84 — in the history of the game. Even India genius Virat Kohli has been left in his wake by 0.04 of a run.
Malan’s contributions to England’s two wins over Australia — 66 off 43 balls and 42 off 37 — mean he has passed 50 in eight of his 15 T20 internationals. And he has done it at a strike-rate of almost 148 (Kohli’s strike-rate is 10 fewer). Yet debate remains over whether he is a peripheral player forever trying to catch his captain’s eye, or a shoo-in for the World Cup in India next year.
‘When you get limited opportunities, you have to make full use of them,’ said Malan. ‘So to do that when you’re under pressure is very satisfying. For anyone to break into this team, you have to be consistent and win games for England.
‘Hopefully I’ve ticked a few boxes that Eoin and the selectors want and I can keep building on this. I’m aware that
Jason Roy and Ben Stokes will come back at some point and it’s my job to score as many runs as I can to put pressure on them and the selectors. I don’t think I’m anywhere near as good as Virat Kohli and those guys, even though the numbers sort of suggest that. But if I keep scoring runs at this rate, hopefully it will make it hard for them to ignore what I’m doing.’
Just about the only nitpick about Malan’s batting is that he tends to eat up a few balls early in his innings. It’s an issue he is aware of.
‘It’s something I spoke to the captain about before this series. I said, “Look, is there something you want me to do differently?” He said, “The way you play is exactly how we want you to play. You just keep doing what you’re doing”.
‘The man that matters is Eoin Morgan. If he’s happy with the way I’m approaching it, that’s good enough for me.’
With the T20 rankings updated after every game, England will have spent little more than 48 hours at the top if they lose today — although it wasn’t obvious whether Australia’s descent to No 2 registered with the tourists’ dressing room.
‘We take pride in being the No 1 side in the world,’ said spinner Ashton Agar. ‘That will spur us on.’ Australia can yet leave these shores atop the rankings. Whatever happens today, England have given them pause for thought.
NORTHANTS are confident that Friday’s T20 Blast match against Gloucestershire at Wantage Road will go ahead despite the four- day fixture between the clubs being abandoned on Sunday due to a positive Covid-19 test.