Bayliss hails Buttler’s recovery act as a batting blueprint

London: Trevor Bayliss wants England to learn from Jos Buttler’s icy display of escapology at Old Trafford, describing the unbeaten century that completed a historic first 5-0 whitewash over Australia as a batting blueprint.

Speaking after Buttler’s alchemic 110 not out from 122 balls chased down 206 from a perilous 114 for eight on Sunday, the England head coach was left agog at how the right-hander’s summer is panning out, given he averages 108 from 14 innings since the start of May spread across the Indian Premier League, Test cricket and one-dayers.

Bayliss said: “He’s right up there in the top echelon. He’s a bit different from some of the guys I’ve worked with before but he’s devastating. He can play that role he did [on Sunday], in smart fashion, but when he needs he can pull the power out and put the foot down.

“He’s a smart guy. He looks at the situation of the game and he’s a winner. He hates losing, even the football matches in training.”

Eoin Morgan’s No. 1-ranked side have compiled 31 totals in excess of 300 since the last World Cup — India are next best with 16 — and have twice set the men’s world record, most recently through their 481 for six at Trent Bridge last week.

But the aggressive top order remain susceptible too, as they have shown with the collapse of six wickets for 20 against South Africa at Lord’s last summer, the Champions Trophy semi-final no-show versus Pakistan, and the eight for five they found themselves at in Adelaide this January.

All three of those howlers resulted in defeat but, with Buttler throttling back on his usual pyrotechnic approach on Sunday — never before has he faced more than 100 balls in a one-day international — Bayliss is keen for others to show similar adaptability.

He said: “We obviously stuffed up in the beginning but for the first time one of the guys showed the rest how we should be approaching that situation. It will give Jos and the rest of the guys a blueprint of how to go about it and the confidence to know we can do it.”

Bayliss, who had no qualms inflicting a 5-0 scoreline on his compatriots but admitted to sympathy for their coaching staff, will now step aside for Wednesday’s one-off Twenty20 at Edgbaston, and the following three versus India, for a spot of domestic scouting while his assistant, Paul Farbrace, takes charge of the team.

With Bayliss confirmed to be leaving his role after England’s World Cup and Ashes summer in 2019, it is also a chance for Farbrace to pitch perhaps for the top job. By 2019, England may have split the role into two along the lines of Test and white-ball cricket, something Bayliss has endorsed given the relentless schedule and increasing separation between the two squads in terms of personnel.

— Guardian News & Media Limited, 2018