\"Come out and play even more shots.” That’s the message from Jos Buttler to England’s top order despite their difficult time in the opening ODI against Sri Lanka.
Liam Plunkett smashed a six off the final ball to tie the scores on 286 as England recovered from perilous positions of 30 for four and 82 for six, not least thanks to Buttler’s brilliant, and measured by his blistering standards, 93 from 99 balls.
England’s vice-captain believes the current side’s reputation in white-ball cricket – series wins over New Zealand and Pakistan; final-game defeats to Australia and South Africa; and a World T20 final – is built on taking aggressive, positive options on the field and that will not change.
“We shouldn’t do anything differently,” said Buttler ahead of the second game of the five-match Royal London One Day Series at Edgbaston. “We must go out and play with an aggressive mindset, fall on the positive side of everything we do and in any situation take the risk instead of a negative option.
“There’s going to be more pressure on us this summer than last summer after playing the way we have over the last 12 months. But that’s the way we want to play our cricket, we want to put teams under pressure.”
Buttler and Chris Woakes, whose 95 not out is the highest ever score in a one-day international by a number eight, shared a 138-run stand to set up that chance for Plunkett’s nerveless, colossal strike.
The 25-year-old said the immediate post-match elation was tempered by knowledge that it was an opportunity squandered after restricting Sri Lanka to a modest total and recovering to a match-winning position with 15 overs to go in the chase.
But the team’s positive mindset extends to the match analysis, focusing on batting depth and the ability to deliver a result when eventually requiring 30 from 12 balls.
He said: “It was a morale-boosting finish to the game for us. Credit to Liam [for the six] and for getting that three as well to give us the chance of hitting a six to tie. It again shows what great talent we’ve got right through the order and what character in a big moment to pull it out of the bag.
“We were confident of chasing that score down on that pitch and we were disappointed that we could not do that. But from the position we were in we’ve probably dragged one back and it’s obviously a lot better in the series to be level rather than being one behind.”
Edgbaston was the scene of England’s rebirth as a white-ball force this time last year, the first time they reached the 400-run landmark with a rampant 408 against New Zealand. Buttler registered a scorching 66-ball century – he holds the four fastest for England – to finish on 129 from 77 balls, with 13 fours and five sixes.
Always modest about his own often match-winning contributions, Buttler feels in fine form after his stint in the IPL pressure cooker with Mumbai Indians and is ready for more 'wow' moments this summer.
“When you get to this level the biggest thrill or fulfilment is being not out at the end and walking off the field knowing you’ve won the game. I’m disappointed not to have managed that [on Tuesday] but I’m feeling in really good form.”
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