Buttler ready to answer England World Cup captain call

England's Jos Buttler in the rain during a nets session. Photo: Paul Childs/Reuters

England's Jos Buttler in the rain during a nets session. Photo: Paul Childs/Reuters

Published Jun 15, 2019

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"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#222222;

mso-ansi-language:EN-ZA;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZA;mso-no-proof:no">SOUTHAMPTON

– Jos Buttler says he is ready to step up and captain England in the World Cup

if injured skipper Eoin Morgan fails to recover in time to face Afghanistan on

Tuesday.

"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#222222;

mso-ansi-language:EN-ZA;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZA;mso-no-proof:no">Morgan had

to leave the field with a back spasm during the West Indies innings in

Southampton on Friday, with opening batsman Jason Roy also forced off the field

due to a tight hamstring.

"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#222222;

mso-ansi-language:EN-ZA;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZA;mso-no-proof:no">Vice-captain

Buttler himself was unable to keep wicket in the team’s previous match against

Bangladesh but said he was fully fit as he contemplates leading the side.

"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#222222;

mso-ansi-language:EN-ZA;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZA;mso-no-proof:no">“I’d rather

Eoin plays,” said Buttler. “He’ll have a scan and Jason the same and see how

their injuries are but obviously we hope for the best.”

"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#222222;

mso-ansi-language:EN-ZA;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZA;mso-no-proof:no">But he said

England’s approach would not change much if Morgan did not make it in time.

"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#222222;

mso-ansi-language:EN-ZA;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZA;mso-no-proof:no">“We’ve

played under Eoin for a long time,” he said. “I think he’s a fantastic captain.

He’s someone I’ve tried to learn from, being vice-captain. I’ve talked to him a

lot about the game. We’ve got some quite similar views so I think it would be

very similar.”

"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#222222;

mso-ansi-language:EN-ZA;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZA;mso-no-proof:no">The

injuries to Roy and Morgan in Southampton forced England to rejig, with Test

captain Joe Root moving up the order and scoring a century as an opener as the

host nation cruised to victory by eight wickets.

"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#222222;

mso-ansi-language:EN-ZA;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZA;mso-no-proof:no">It is that

flexibility and the quality of the players not currently in the starting 11

including Tom Curran, Moeen Ali and James Vince that gives Buttler confidence.

"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#222222;

mso-ansi-language:EN-ZA;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZA;mso-no-proof:no">“Yes they

are absolutely (ready to step in). We’ve talked about how hard the 15 was to

pick and getting in the 11 is a really competitive squad so those guys on the

sidelines are fantastic players who are all ready to play.”

"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#222222;

mso-ansi-language:EN-ZA;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZA;mso-no-proof:no">Buttler,

28, said multi-tasking by performing wicketkeeping duties and captaining the

side would not be a problem.

"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#222222;

mso-ansi-language:EN-ZA;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZA;mso-no-proof:no">“If it

comes to it and I have to captain it’s obviously a huge honour every time you

have to do it. From behind the stumps you have a fantastic view of what’s going

on but it’s just down to yourself to manage those two jobs and separate them as

much as you can,” he said.

"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#222222;

mso-ansi-language:EN-ZA;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZA;mso-no-proof:no">“One of the

strengths of the group is that there are lots of guys in the team willing to

offer opinions and advice so there are plenty of guys to talk to but Joe Root

would be the obvious one.”

"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#222222;

mso-ansi-language:EN-ZA;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZA;mso-no-proof:no">Buttler has

been in fine form during the World Cup, smashing 103 in a losing cause

against Pakistan, with Australia great Shane Warne hailing him as “one of the

most destructive batsmen who’s played white-ball cricket”.

"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#222222;

mso-ansi-language:EN-ZA;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZA;mso-no-proof:no">But the

understated Buttler brushed aside the compliment.

"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#222222;

mso-ansi-language:EN-ZA;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZA;mso-no-proof:no">“I know

Warney a bit from Rajasthan (Indian Premier League) so he’s probably just

pumping my tyres up.”

"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#222222;

mso-ansi-language:EN-ZA;mso-fareast-language:EN-ZA;mso-no-proof:no">AFP

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