POST MATCH ANALYSIS
Follow UsThe name is Roy, Jason Roy! And on Saturday the opener walked out with purpose and decimated Bangladesh as England bounced back from their loss to Pakistan in style.
At Cardiff, Roy blasted his way to 153 off 121 balls, the highest individual score at this edition of the ICC World Cup, starring in a 106-run victory over the hapless Tigers.
Bangladesh were vying for a hat-trick of World Cup wins against England and Shakib Al Hasan was the lone bright spark, registering his eighth century in ODIs scoring 121 off 119 balls.
Roy and Bairstow have been the most successful batting pair in ODI cricket in the last one year. But they haven’t had the ideal start to the World Cup, with the duo struggling to stich a partnership in the first two games England have played.
Despite the overnight rain at Cardiff, ideal cricketing conditions welcomed the two after Mashrafe Mortaza won the toss and opted to field first on a green top.
It was a case of a calm before the storm as an uncharacteristically circumspect start saw the home side inch their way to 15 for no loss after five overs.
Roy and Bairstow launched from that point on displaying an array of classy strokes as well as using sheer brute force.
Roy was the aggressor shifting gears at ease and bringing up his half century off just 38 balls. Bairstow, at the other end, was going about his job in workman like fashion at run-a-ball.
England brought up 100 in the 15th over and with a lot of batting still to come, would have set their eyes on 400 or even more.
Mortaza’s men’s shoulders had slumped by this point and they began making school boyish errors on the field. Bairstow pushed the ball to Shakib at long off and was content with a single. Instead of throwing to the bowler or wicket-keeper, Shakib tossed the ball to Mahmudullah at mid-on, something the latter didn’t expect and the batsmen sneaked a second.
Bangladesh were running out of ideas before a fantastic catch from Mehidy Hasan, running in from cover, ended 128-run partnership, Bairstow departing for a well-made 51 off 50 balls.
Despite the loss of his opening partner, Roy was in no mood to relent and continued to dispatch the Bangladesh bowlers to all parts of Sophia Gardens.
Using the short boundaries to his advantage, Roy struck five maximums to go with his 14 fours.
Once he departed, the score at 235 for three in the 35th over, the stage was set for Jos Buttler and the rest to blast away and possibly post in excess of 400 but Bangladesh hit at crucial junctures to rein in England.
A late cameo from Liam Plunkett (27 off 9 balls) ensured England finished with a mammoth 386 for six.
It was an already deflated Bangladesh side that came out to bat and barring Shakib’s gritty knock, the rest failed to contribute eventually falling to a demoralising defeat.
