BAIR THRILLS
It’s Open season for places at top of order, says Jonny
As the two sides met at Southampton last night it felt it was the start of a yearlong countdown to India 2021.
And as the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked sides, they have strength in depth in the area that matters most in this era of big hitting and even bigger scores.
The first six powerplay overs can make or break a T20 innings and both sides reckon they have the top order prowess to dominate from the off.
England are starting the series with Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler in the driving seat with Dawid Malan coming in at first drop.
But with World Cup winner Jason Roy missing, Joe Root not selected and Tom Banton forced down the order, the competition to fill the top three positions is as tight as it comes – and that is without even considering the merits of Alex Hales.
Bairstow said: “There are always going to be people pushing hard for places in the team and there are going to be more and more players coming through.
“That is the thing that helps keep the standards high and drives you on to maintain and improve on what you’ve done before.
“There are guys who are missing from this side at the moment for different reasons and when they come back it will only help lift the intensity and the performance level in the squad.
“Getting the side off to a good start when you’re chasing around 200 is really important. It sets the platform.”
Meanwhile, former England seamer Graham Onions has announced his retirement from professional cricket.
The popular 37- year- old was advised to call it a day on medical grounds after suffering a back problem earlier this summer.
Onions took an impressive 723 wickets in 192 first- class outings during a 16- year career that started at home county Durham.
He played an integral role as they became a real force in county cricket, winning three championships in six years, and went on to become their leading first- class wicket- taker with 527 scalps before joining Lancashire in September 2017.
He made his Test debut against West Indies in 2009 and took 32 wickets for England, helping them beat Australia in the Ashes, and also played his part with the bat in defiant 10th- wicket stands as he denied South Africa twice at the death to secure draws in 2010.