England skipper Jos Buttler was pleased with his batting unit’s adaptability on a tricky Lord’s surface in the second ODI against India on July 14, which helped the hosts clinch a 100-run win.
England suffered a rare 10-wicket drubbing in the first of three matches of the series at The Oval on Tuesday, with them being undone under overcast skies by Jasprit Bumrah, who registered a career-best 6/19.
In the second ODI on Thursday, the hosts found themselves in trouble at 102/5, which would become 148/6, but Moeen Ali (47) and David Willey (41) ensured that they got 246 before they’d be bundled out in the 49th over. It proved to be enough eventually, with Reece Topley bagging 6/24 – the best ever bowling figures for the national side in the format – to hand England the much-needed victory.
Skipper Buttler singled out England’s positive approach with the bat as a crucial aspect to the result.
“Today the positivity we showed with the bat is actually what enabled us to get up to the score that we did. I think we can bat better.
Absolutely we can, but instead of playing it safe and allowing the bowlers to just settle in on a length, we actually were proactive and played some positive shots, which I think earned us a few extra runs than potentially we may have got.”
he was quoted as saying by ESPNcricnfo.
Buttler admitted that he wasn’t fully assured with the total at the midway stage and acknowledged Topley, Willey and Brydon Carse’ early brilliance that reduced India to 31/4 in the 12th over of the chase, to set it up for a series-levelling win.
“We felt like we were a few short at the halfway stage, but very much in the game if we could take early wickets, and I thought we bowled outstandingly well, the guys set the tone at the top and we all followed.”
The decider will be played at Old Trafford, Manchester on July 17.
