From the sublime to the low-scoring, England\'s recent One Day International performances have been consistently successful and often imperious. From the world record 444/3 at Trent Bridge, to the defiance of the chase at Headingley. Yet as Eoin Morgan\'s side head to Cardiff for the finale ODI, he and Head Coach Trevor Bayliss are faced with a few selection dilemmas.
Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes provided a game-altering 103 partnership on Thursday, reviving an England innings that looked strangely subdued at 72/4 after the glory of Tuesday's record-breaking score. Alex Hales and Jason Roy are now proven international openers, but both are prone to nicking behind or skying one early in their innings.
The middle order trio of Joe Root, Morgan and Stokes are the engine room of the side, with both Stokes and Root offering bowling options and Morgan leading the team with composure and decisveness since the disastrous 2015 World Cup.
England have the luxury of Jos Buttler coming in at Number Six and Moeen Ali at Seven, and their bowlers can all bat. Four of David Willey, Adil Rashid, Liam Plunkett, Chris Woakes and Chris Jordan often make up the numbers Eight to Eleven, but the heroics of Bairstow at Headingley and the domestic form shown by the likes of Ben Duckett, Liam Dawson and Dawid Malan mean England's strength in depth is almost frightening.
Bairstow was called in at the eleventh hour to replace the hamstrung Buttler, who went down 30 minutes before play got underway in Leeds. Whether the ginger-haired Yorkshireman can keep his place in the side should Buttler return, is questionable.
But the fact that question still lingers in itself – given Bairstow's unerring form in the past 12 months – is a huge boon for Bayliss and Morgan, who will have headaches as they cross the Severn Bridge this weekend.
Cardiff was a happy hunting ground for the Three Lions in July, as they comfortably wrapped up a 3-0 ODI series deficit over Sri Lanka. But a 5-0 scoreline against a more competitive Pakistan would be an even bigger boost for the men in blue.
In the bowling department, Rashid's place in now a near-certainty, alongside the allrounders Stokes, Moeen, plus three quick bowlers. And England have opted for genuine pace.
Plunkett offers muscle with the bat, athleticism in the field – as his stunning catch at Edgabston showed – and hostile fast bowling. Mark Wood needs to be nurtured, given his injury problems, but is another quick option with the ability to rattle through a side in no time. England have often plumped for a left-arm option in 50-over cricket and Willey is the current incumbent.
The likes of Jordan and Woakes are other players who are young and have now garnered a fair amount of international experience. It is all set up perfectly for a) a 5-0 series victory and b) a shot at Champions Trophy glory next summer.
Morgan and Bayliss will not rest until England's One-Day dominance is complete. In this series, that means a victory at The SSE SWALEC. In the long-term, a Champions Trophy final and improved showing at the 2019 World Cup are the mininum expectations. Realistically, with a strong squad, there is no reason why England cannot claim a trophy in the coming years. It's an exciting time to be an England fan that's for sure.
There are still a limited number of tickets available for Sunday's match between England and Pakistan at The SSE SWALEC, Cardiff. You can secure your seats by clicking here.