Chris Jordan praises fellow bowlers after high-class T20 World Cup start

AADAM PATEL: After bowling West Indies out for 55 and then restricting Bangladesh to a paltry 124 for 9, the England batters are yet to be seriously challenged

Aadam Patel | 28/10/2021 at 18:00

Chris Jordan has praised England’s bowling attack after two impressive displays with the ball set the tone for emphatic victories in their opening two matches at the T20 World Cup.

After bowling West Indies out for 55 and then restricting Bangladesh to a paltry 124 for 9, the England batters are yet to be seriously challenged.

Pre-tournament, Jordan insisted that the England bowling department held the key to England’s success in the UAE and so far, they have delivered.

“It’s been a good start thus far,” said Jordan. “We’ve had real good concentration and done some decent homework on the opposition. Most importantly, we’ve brought that intensity right from ball one. Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes have really set the tone for us with the ball, and everyone’s come in and done their bit in trying to back that up.”

It is a bowling attack that somewhat feels like it has come together at the last minute, with Jofra Archer, Ben Stokes and Sam Curran all absent for the tournament and Mark Wood getting ruled out of the first two games.

None of Moeen, Woakes, Liam Livingstone nor Tymal Mills played a game in India in March but against Bangladesh, they returned combined figures of 8 for 72 in 14 overs.

“The guys who have come in are definitely coming in on good form,” added Jordan. “You’ve seen Tymal Mills put in quite a few good performances this summer and leading into the tournament, he was full of confidence. Woakesy is another player that you just know what you’re going to get, and he does a really good professional job.

“The chemistry between the boys and the way everyone has taken on each and every role they’ve been given has been tremendous. Going into that first game, a big focus for us was to bring the level of intensity that we know we operate at best.”

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^{England's bowlers have impressed in wins over West Indies and Bangladesh}

That first game saw England hammer the defending champions, before carrying on that momentum to dispatch Bangladesh with ease on Wednesday. As much as Jordan and England would have been pleased with those displays, he is aware that sterner tasks lie ahead.

“No one could have imagined we’d start like that against the West Indies,” he said. “We knew it was going to be a big challenge with their batting line-up stacked with so much experience and so many explosive players. Having said that, our concentration and focus on not taking the foot off the gas has paid dividends. It’s been a dream start but every game is not going to be that straightforward.”

Not least on Saturday, when England take on Australia in the first of seven potential contests between the rivals this winter. Asked whether this encounter acts as an opportunity to get English noses in front ahead of the Ashes, Jordan insisted that was not the focus but is adamant that England will again need to be at their best.

“Australia is a big game and on the back of two wins, we’ll be trying to make that three,” he explained. “That’ll be our focus. Any England-Australia game is always right up there when it comes to stakes and intensity, and I don’t expect this game to be much different. We’ll have to be right on top of our game once again come Saturday.”

Jordan, a senior member of the squad and England’s most experienced bowler with 67 T20I appearances, is now playing in his third T20 World Cup. He and captain Eoin Morgan can often be seen in constant communication in the field.

With that status comes an added responsibility, and that is something he continues to enjoy and thrive upon.

“I definitely want to be taking on responsibility and I definitely want to continue to be in those pressure situations, those pressure moments, and to really stand up when it’s time to be counted for the team,” said Jordan. “The team is so full of talent and it’s a real pleasure for Morgan to captain, to see he has so many options, so many different types of players to call on. I’m glad I can be one of those players.”

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^{Chris Jordan is England's all-time leading wicket-taker in T20Is}

Alongside England, Pakistan have impressed early on in the competition, with impressive wins against India and New-Zealand. Jordan admitted that he and his teammates have cast an eye on potential opponents further down the line.

“We’ve definitely had a peep. Pakistan is one of those teams that has stood out so far. I always think in World Cups that Pakistan are a very dangerous team and thus far, they look a dangerous unit in these conditions.”

On the subject of taking the knee – a major conversation in the last few days following Quinton de Kock’s decision not to join in, before earlier today apologising and making a U-turn – Jordan added that England would continue to do so.

“As far as us as a team, I definitely think we will continue to take the knee,” he confirmed. “It’s obviously a really good symbol. We’re in a climate where this topic comes to the fore quite a lot. And any opportunity that we can get to educate or even show signs of unity, we must take it.

“It’s going to be a long process. It will take some time for the entire landscape to shift and change and it might be a little bit here and a little bit there at any given time. But if taking the knee contributes towards that education and us slightly changing the landscape, we definitely want to continue to do that.”