TREVOR BAYLISS: Fearless England CAN win T20 World Cup

10/22/2021

TREVOR BAYLISS’ GUIDE TO THE T20 WORLD CUP: Fearless England CAN win the tournament on slow, low UAE pitches… they are the favourites with India but I’d love to see Eoin Morgan’s men face Australia in the final!

England are used to winning on the type of pitches we will see in the UAE
Skipper Eoin Morgan is right up there with the best captains I’ve worked with
It will though be very hard for England to replace Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer
India are exceptionally strong but I would love an England v Australia final

England begin their bid to unite the white-ball belts on Saturday when they take on defending World T20 champions West Indies in Dubai.

Eoin Morgan won the tournament 11 years ago with England and now leads the side looking to build on the 50-over World Cup win two years ago.

Here, World Cup and Ashes-winning England coach Trevor Bayliss offers his views on the tournament and the questions they face ahead of their first Super 12 match.

England begin their bid to unite the white-ball belts on Saturday when they take on West Indies

World Cup and Ashes-winning coach Trevor Bayliss offers his views on the tournament

England are one of the favourites to win this World Cup, and they still have the bulk of the team with the experience of winning the 50-over tournament in 2019. That can only be a positive factor.

They are used to those pressure situations — and, importantly, are used to winning on the type of pitches we will see in the UAE because England won that World Cup largely on slow surfaces they hadn’t really encountered over the previous four years.

The team I coached had to adapt to an older, slower-style game that didn’t suit the power we had seen from them and they will have to do it again now because, having been at the IPL over the last few weeks, I know these pitches will be challenging for batters.

England are used to pressure situations and winning on the pitches we will see in the UAE

They will be slow and can be a bit up and down, so it won’t be easy for batters to get their timing right.

I’m not saying it’s impossible to play that expansive game England still favour, but we will see teams trying to make the absolute most of the first six overs when the ball is new and coming on to the bat a little better.

Then they will accumulate through the middle in the old style so they have wickets at the end to go hard.

We spoke a lot in 2019 about the need to play smart cricket. At different times we would be in situations on slower wickets that didn’t suit our strengths and what should give England encouragement now is that the players were able to deal with that. I know this is 20 overs and not 50, but the same processes apply.

If England try to play the power game, they could fall into the trap of putting too much bottom hand into the shot and hitting it into the leg-side.

But the players should be smart and experienced enough to play fairly straight, with strong cricket shots that have good shape while letting the ball come on to the bat.

We will see teams trying to make the absolute most of the first six overs when the ball is new

Captain Fantastic

There were times during the five years I was with England that Eoin Morgan was light on runs, but it never seemed to worry him.

He just kept playing the way he was preaching to the rest of the team and that earned him a lot of respect. It sent a message to the rest of the team that he was committed to playing that way and consequently so were the others.

I don’t see it being a problem for England in this tournament. He’s been batting a little lower in the order where it can be hit and miss in T20 cricket, but Morgan’s value as a captain remains extremely high and he is incredibly well thought of by his team, both tactically and as a leader of men.

He’s right up there with the best captains I’ve worked with. My view as a coach has always been that the captain is the boss.

England captain Eoin Morgan is right up there with the best captains I’ve worked with

He’s the one in the middle who has to make all the in-game decisions and most of the time Eoin took the right option. That goes a long way to the team having confidence in their captain and going on to win the game.

An example of Morgan’s enduring leadership ability came in the IPL. Kolkata were in danger of missing the latter stages when we resumed the tournament in the UAE, but they went on a run under Eoin to reach the final and played in that same fearless fashion.

You could tell Morgs was captain and Brendon McCullum was coach. They tried to score the bulk of their runs early while the ball was new and put the pressure on the opposition that way. That will be the blueprint for England in this World Cup.

I heard Eoin saying the other day that he wouldn’t hesitate to drop himself if necessary during the tournament and that’s a measure of the man.

While I don’t expect it to happen, there are not many captains who would think that way. That’s one of the reasons people respect him so much. He’s never afraid to think outside the box.

Top Loading

The question England must ask themselves is whether to top-load their order for that all-important power-play by sending in someone like Jonny Bairstow or Liam Livingstone at three, or stick with Dawid Malan, who has done exceptionally well for them there, and back him to get them through those middle overs and anchor the innings.

It is a role Joe Root and Ben Stokes have filled in the past and the challenge for Malan will be to do it in their absence.

One option they might consider is Moeen Ali, who batted at three for Chennai in the IPL and did well against spin. The key will be for someone to go on to 70 or 80 once they have made a good start and also flexibility in the order.

One option England might consider at No 3 is Moeen Ali, who did well against spin in the IPL

Absent Friends

It WILL be very hard for England to replace Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer. T20 has never been Stokesey’s most prolific format, but they will miss having him around as much as anything he would have done with bat, ball or in the field. He just lifts everyone.

And Jofra’s extra pace will be sorely missed on these slow pitches. Tall bowlers getting the ball to stick in the wicket, pop up or skid through lower with that extra speed were particularly difficult to face in the IPL, especially in Dubai, and Archer is at the top of that tree.

I hadn’t seen much of Jofra until he came into our squad before the World Cup, but everybody had been raving about him and I could quickly see why.

It will be very hard for England to replace Ben Stokes (back) and Jofra Archer (front)

It was immediately evident that England had found someone special and he completed our jigsaw.

But one thing England have had in the last few years has been an exceptionally strong white-ball squad.

We could have picked 17 or 18 guys for the team that won the World Cup. Tymal Mills was with us in India for the 2016 World T20, has a good change of pace and can be quick with that left-arm variety.

The cutter might be the most difficult delivery for batters to play out there and with that in mind, Tymal could easily have a role to play.

Tymal Mills (left) has a good change of pace and can be quick with that left-arm variety

In A Spin

I can see Morgan using all three of his spinners Adil Rashid, Moeen and Livingstone in the same innings, particularly as the tournament goes on and the wickets get slower.

Rash and Mo bowl well in tandem and the captain is not afraid to bowl Rashid near the end of an innings.

They have a very good relationship as Rash feels Morgs looks after him. He uses him well at the right times and that gives Rash the confidence to do what he does best.

Adil Rashid (left) and Ali (right) bowl well in tandem and the former can bowl near the end

Good Job, Spoons

Chris Silverwood’s work will largely be done by now. The big conversations will have been had with the players.

This group of players are all experienced and it’s just a question now of getting them in the right frame of mind to go out and perform at their best.

But he will be feeling nerves ahead of his first big white-ball tournament and that’s a good thing.

I think Spoons has done well since he succeeded me two years ago. England have played in bubble situations more than any other team and that’s not easy.

Keeping the guys playing at the highest level in difficult circumstances is a credit to Chris and his staff.

Chris Silverwood will be feeling the nerves ahead of his first big white-ball tournament

A Foot In Two Camps

You can’t go past India and England as the two favourites. India are exceptionally strong and benefit from their whole squad playing in the IPL.

They cover every base and their biggest problem will be who to leave out, certainly in the batting.

Australia have been struggling in T20 cricket, partly because they haven’t had their best side, but they always find a way in big tournaments and I could see them in the final four.

Afghanistan are an interesting one. They have a few really good spinners and are playing a couple of games in Sharjah, which should benefit them because that has the slowest pitches of all three venues.

India are exceptionally strong and benefit from their whole squad playing in the IPL

If they were in the other group I’d say they had a chance of reaching the semi-finals, but it will be tough to find a way past India and Pakistan. I still think Afghanistan will at least surprise people along the way.

When I was with England people would ask me, as an Australian, who I wanted to win the Ashes.

It was England when I worked with them, but now I guess I have a foot in both camps.

I’m a cricket lover first and foremost and now I’m not involved with an international team I just want a good contest. But I would love an England v Australia final and would be delighted for whoever wins!

But I would love an England v Australia final and would be delighted for whoever wins!

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