after England’s defeat India on Tuesday, skipper as Buttler described hitting his team as his “superpower”.
They had failed that day and there could be signs of slight deterioration, but Buttler is right. Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow are England‘s biggest ODI opening pair. Joe Root has more hundreds than anyone else. Ben Stokes pops up in clutch moments. Buttler is the only man to average 40 and score 120 in ODI history. Others wait in the wings.
Right now, bowling in England isn’t just super-stretched. Their first-choice attack would consist of Jofra Archer, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood, all of whom are wounded. So are Saqib Mahmood, the second best, and Olly Stone. Adil Rashid, a wrist spinner so much better than his rivals that England are currently replacing him with a sailor, is on a pilgrimage to Mecca but will be back next week for the games against South Africa.
That leaves them with a mixed bag, led by David Willey. Reece Topley, who has suffered from injuries for years, shares the new ball. Brydon Carse, promising but raw, and Craig Overton hammering away in the center overs. Then three all-rounders: Stokes, whose bowling is managed, Moeen Ali and Liam Livingstone. Sam Curran and Matt Parkinson are sitting on the couch.
In the first ODI on Tuesday, the hitting worked so badly that there was no chance. In the T20s, England’s fate was again determined by their percussion; leading to defeat at Southampton and Birmingham and victory at Trent Bridge. However, there were encouraging displays from Richard Gleeson, Chris Jordan and Topley.
On Thursday at Lord’s, however, the game was evenly matched when it was the turn of the bowlers to do their thing. England had 246 to defend, and the bowlers won a match against Buttler to level this series and setting up a tasty Sunday decision maker in Manchester.
The bowlers had actually started their shift before bowling, as Moeen and Willey had saved the batters from 102 to five, after another tired display in the face of excellent Indian bowling. However, England’s bowlers recognized that business was good, and there was plenty on the pitch for big rewards. They’re doing well.
It took until the fifth left of India’s chase for a run to be scored. Topley took the openers in his opening spell of five over the Pavilion End, while Willey got Virat Kohli – after an altercation with an IPL teammate – in his try of six over the Nursery End. Willey joked that he’d given Topley the better end for a left-armer, but it didn’t seem to matter.
Topley returned later in the innings, showing several skills, finishing with six for 24, the best ever ODI figures for an Englishman and the best of anyone at Lord’s. Topley was plagued with back injuries that kept him cycling through the counties – he was at his best in all formats for Surrey – and feared moments like this would never come.
“It means a lot, it makes it all worth it,” he said. “I had surgery just outside that position” [at the Wellington Hospital] three years ago, so it’s come full circle, which is crazy.”
Topley is a popular member of the English dressing room. Buttler believes his tortuous journey to a second international arrival has given him “a perspective”, and that he has “all the attributes to be a fantastic international bowler”. What are those attributes? He is not fast, but is accurate, resilient and finds movement.
“Have you been standing next to him?” laughed Willy. “He’s a giant. He’s a tall boy who bounces extra and bowls at a decent pace, always creating chances. He bowled beautifully.”
After a tricky patch that resulted in him missing out on the 2019 World Cup and “losing love for the game”, Willey is back in his thirties. At 28, Topley is younger, but debuted in the same year, 2015.
Many times during the trip, few would have given them hope of making it to World Cups this year and next. But both men claim at the right time.