NEWS
Follow UsKieron Pollard joined the coaching staff of England before the World Cup to help them prepare for the marquee tournament. England are defending champions, and no team in T20 World Cup history has been able to defend their title.
With that kind of a challenge in front of them, and the fact that England are scheduled to play all their group stage games in the West Indies make Pollard’s recruitment even more crucial, and it’s significance is not lost on Jonny Bairstow who faced the media ahead of the much anticipated clash against Australia.
"I don't think there needs much explanation when it comes to Polly,” Bairstow said.
“A wealth of experience, a wealth of knowledge, a winning mentality and a guy that's won all around the world that has grown up in these conditions, I think that wealth of knowledge and also that winning mentality Is something that can't be replaced.
“I think everyone will be going to him, that's why he's here, that's why the experience that he's got, like I mentioned, doesn't need to be explained too much more. The guy’s done more than 99% of people in T20 cricket all around the world, so I think his numbers speak for themselves.”
England’s first game of the competition, against Scotland, was abandoned due to rain and yet again, rain threat looms large over the game. However, Bairstow looked merely to control the controllables ahead of the important encounter.
“The weather is something that you can't control and obviously that night was disappointing to get rained out but look we're really excited for tomorrow's game. It's always a great occasion. Two very good teams going toe-to-toe and yeah, it's going to be an exciting spectacle,” the English keeper batter said.
When asked about the fact that how both the sides have players who have played along and against each other in various and international and franchise commitments worldwide, and how they know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, Bairstow looked at the picture in a glass half full manner.
“Look they're [Australia] great games aren’t they,” Bairstow remarked.
“They’re always great spectacles it's yeah like you say guys have played against each other for a long time now, which in many ways is really exciting because you know each other's games, whether it be playing against each other in the IPL or other games around the world.
So, it's something that - look, 22 guys will be going out there knowing quite a bit about the opposition and hopefully it will be a fantastic atmosphere like it always is in Barbados and yeah, the best side will come out on top.”
Bairstow also dwelled on his connections with Barbados, which he has been visiting for quite some time since his father, David Bairstow, played cricket in the Island nation for England.
“I love this place like you said I came here with my dad many times when we were younger and yeah, it's a special place to come,” Bairstow said.
“The people that are here on the island are really friendly, have a great sense of humour, the food's good, well apart from the other day when it started raining the weather's absolutely amazing and look, this as soon as you land on the island it's an incredible atmosphere.
People can't be more warm towards you, they love the cricket the passion for the cricket and the knowledge for the cricket is something that's born and instilled within the people of Barbados and the Caribbean. So yeah, like I say, it's a great place to come. It's a great place and has a lot of very fond memories in my heart and my mind.”
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