Jonny Bairstow praises England mentality after crushing win over Bangladesh

Bairstow himself looked in fine form, helping himself to 51 in a first-wicket partnership of 128 as England’s top order duo returned to their best after more meagre opening stands in the previous two games

Jonny Bairstow spoke in glowing terms of his opening partner Jason Roy after the Surrey batsman struck a superb 153 in England’s comprehensive victory over Bangladesh on Saturday.

Bairstow himself looked in fine form, helping himself to 51 in a first-wicket partnership of 128 as England’s top order duo returned to their best after more meagre returns in England’s opening two games.

The Yorkshire batsman, who would also keep wicket in the second innings due to Jos Buttler’s sore hip, was dismissed moments after reaching his half-century, getting a leading edge off Mashrafe Mortaza to be caught at cover.

"I think we've played better but there's always going to be things you try to improve on,” Bairstow said.

“It's still good to get out again and good to put on a show to score 380-odd, and then bowl a team out and win by a hundred runs is good.

"We were 15 off five overs, I wouldn't exactly say we were 'going off' to a start. It was one of the slowest starts we've had but to then catch up or play in the way we did, it wasn't a case of running down the wicket trying to slog it – they were just good cricket shots, as we have done over a period of time.

“There's nothing that's really changed from that mentality, whether that be against spin or seam."

^{Bairstow kept wicket after Jos Buttler picked up a hip injury while batting.}

Roy, meanwhile, went on to his third ODI score of more than 150, depositing Mehidy Hasan for three successive sixes, before being dismissed as he chased a fourth.

"At the other end I'm hoping I can score runs as well. It's good to have someone at the end who is being destructive definitely, but at the same time if you can work a partnership out and continually grind those hundred partnerships at the top of the order, it sets a platform for the rest of the guys. We've grown up together playing.

"He's obviously developed because that's evolution, playing in different conditions, different competitions around the world,” Bairstow added.

"Having opened the batting now for a long period of time for England, his confidence will be very high. It's great for him to score 150 in the World Cup and you are hoping we can both kick on from that start today to into something, be that a chase or setting, in one of the huge games that we've got coming up."

Bairstow, England’s Test wicketkeeper, was then called upon with the gloves during Bangladesh’s run-chase after Buttler picked up a minor niggle during his own cameo of 64 in Cardiff.

“I think he’ll be absolutely fine,” Bairstow said of England’s talismanic middle-order finisher.

The hip problem left Bairstow to keep wicket against one of the quickest pace attacks fielded by England for many years. Jofra Archer touched 95 miles per hour, while Mark Wood reached 93mph, with Adil Rashid playing as the side’s sole spinner on a ground with inviting straight boundaries.

"It was good,” Bairstow reflected. “There was actually a glare off the sightscreen which wasn't handy in the first few overs from Jofra's end.

"It was good to be a long way back. You look at the West Indies, when we were so far back in that Test match in St Lucia [when Wood bowled quickly] and the theatre that gave the game.

"It's a good place to be and good all the lads are firing. It's the competition for places you really want."

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