The top four who mattered for England

Seven English players have topped the batting and bowling charts in World Cup 2019; these four were Eoin Morgan’s trump cards.

Jason Roy.

Jason Roy

Roy started off with a fifty against South Africa, failed against Pakistan, but toyed with a tricky Bangladesh bowling attack for a magnificent 153 off 121 balls. England felt a void when it lost two games — to Sri Lanka and Australia — in his absence; a hamstring injury had pulled him out of action. The right-hander recovered in time to rescue his side from a precarious hold. He smashed three more fifties, including a crucial 66 against India, to help England to the knockouts. Roy and his opening partner, Jonny Bairstow, were unstoppable. They set the tone in most of the England victories. Roy finished the tournament with 443 runs.

Jonny Bairstow

Jonny Bairstow.

 

When the chips were down, Bairstow raised his bat to power England to solid starts with partner Jason Roy. He became the first English player to score successive World Cup hundreds in must-win clashes against India and New Zealand, respectively. Bairstow also dismissed the arguments regarding his vulnerability against spin by smashing six sixes off Indian wrist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal. The 109-ball 111in Birmingham was followed by a hard-hitting 106 off 99 balls in Chester-le-Street. Bairstow ended the campaign with 532 runs — sixth in the top 10 list of run-getters.

Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes.

As soon as the Cup final got over, Stokes lay down on the ground for sometime to relish the moment. He was perhaps singing the best redemption song in his head. The fracas outside the Bristol nightclub, police, controversies and the legal proceedings that forced him out of an Ashes tour — none of the incidents mattered as much as winning the Cup for England and earning the Man of the Match award. Stokes remained unbeaten on 84 and scored eight of the 15 runs in the Super Over. Overall, he ended the campaign with 468 runs and seven wickets.

Jofra Archer

Jofra Archer.

 

Born in the Caribbean islands, the natural athlete Archer turned out to be England’s X-factor in the Cup. The speed gun kept all the top batsmen on their toes and helmets by clocking 145-150 kmph on an average. He holds the record for the joint-fastest delivery of the tournament (154 kmph) along with compatriot Mark Wood and Australia pacer Mitchell Starc. Before the first Cup game against South Africa, Archer was only three ODIs old. But his performance did not reflect any lack of experience. He finished the tournament with 20 wickets at a sound economy of 4.75.