England vs Pakistan: Jonny Bairstow admits frustration at one-day role
Test wicketkeeper says all he can do is take his chances when they arrive
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Your support makes all the difference.Serial match-winner Jonny Bairstow longs for the day when he is back in England's first-choice 50-over team.
Bairstow and Ben Stokes rescued Eoin Morgan's team from 72 for 4 against Pakistan in the fourth one-dayer on Thursday night at Headingley, the pair's century stand helping the hosts reach their target of 247. The Yorkshireman was only told he was playing by coach Trevor Bayliss two minutes before his captain went out to toss up because Jos Buttler hurt his hamstring in the warm-up.
Bairstow has been in the same position before when he replaced Buttler last summer against New Zealand at Chester-le-Street after his rival split the webbing in his hand. Then, as in this latest four-wicket victory which continued England's unbeaten white-ball run this summer and took them into a 4-0 series lead, Bairstow took the starring role.
Asked how late the call was this time, he said with impressive precision: “It was about 32 minutes before the start. Trev came over and just said 'you're in'. I'd got a message saying Jos was fit, so I just prepared as if I was 12th man. But you crack on and you get stuck in - you don't have a choice really, do you?”
Bairstow just wishes he could be a regular. “Naturally, I'm frustrated not to be in that XI week in, week out,” he said. “Every time I get an opportunity I want to try to impress, and that's all I can do. Whether that be keeping wicket, just playing as a batter, batting at one or 11, every time you go out there you try to do your best. Opportunities at the moment are a bit few and far between. You've just got to take it on the chin, crack on and hope you take the opportunity when it does come along.”
The 26-year-old took to Twitter soon after the match to dedicate the man-of-the-match display to his late father David, who committed suicide in 1998. He posted: “Delighted with today... Special day! Happy Birthday Dad... That's one for you! #mom #headingley”
Pakistan's chances of defending an under-par target were hampered when Mohammad Irfan pulled up with a hamstring injury too, and was unable to complete his overs after two early wickets. The coach Mickey Arthur was far from happy about that.
“It's very frustrating,” he said of the physical ailment encountered by the tall left-armer in his first match of the summer. There were checks and balances in place [about Irfan's fitness]. He was put on standby when we selected our one-day squad. He went to the national academy and did his training.”
In the bigger picture, Arthur sounds in awe of the power-hitting he has seen at England's disposal in this series. “It's been an eye-opener for me, the last four games,” the South African said. “England are a phenomenal cricket team, power-hitters all the way down. I look at the strikers England have at their disposal - it's unbelievable.”
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