Sam Billings promises huge England response against Australia with unbeaten record on the line as Steve Smith awaits green light to be able to join the action at Old Trafford
Sam Billings has promised England will come out ‘firing’ in the second one-day international against Australia as they look to protect an unbeaten record stretching back to January 2017 in India.
And the last time a team beat Eoin Morgan’s side in this country in a bilateral series of more than one game was 2015, when Australia won 3-2 in the first summer of England’s white-ball transformation.
Now, following Friday’s 19-run defeat in Manchester, they must win both on Sunday and on Wednesday against an Australian side who are hoping to welcome back Steve Smith after he hit on the head by a throw from a member of the Australian coaching staff.
Smith passed a second assessment on Saturday morning and will be monitored until the start of Sunday's game at 1pm.
Sam Billings has promised England will come out ‘firing’ in the second one-day international against Australia as they look to protect an unbeaten record
All-rounder Mitchell Marsh, who made a valuable 73 on Friday as Australia recovered from 123 for five, insisted the blow would simply steel Smith’s resolve, both in training against the tourists’ impressive battery of quicks, and out in the middle.
‘The Steve Smith I know will probably ask guys to bump the hell out of him,’ said Marsh. ‘He loves the contest. Anyone that bowls 150kph, he loves the challenge, so certainly there will be no backing down.’
Asked if Smith would relish a short-pitched barrage from England, Marsh replied: ‘Absolutely. I’m looking forward to seeing that happen.’
England’s main focus, though, will be on avoiding a repeat of their underwhelming start with the bat after they stuttered to 22 for two in the first 10 overs – their lowest powerplay score at home since 2006.
Billings was central to their fightback, adding 113 for the fifth wicket with Jonny Bairstow, and completing a memorable first international hundred. But it is unlikely England’s top order will be so timid again on Sunday – no matter the quality of Australia’s new-ball bowling.
Smith passed a second assessment on Saturday morning and will be monitored for Sunday
‘The key message from us as a group is we play our best when we get on the front foot and put people under pressure,’ said Billings. ‘How that looks in these conditions might differ from an all gung-ho approach: it’s being smarter in assessing conditions straightaway and running hard. I think it will provoke a bit of a reaction and we’ll come back firing.’
Billings, who missed the chance to play in last year’s World Cup after dislocating a shoulder, has enjoyed his return to the one-day side, scoring 132 at a run a ball for once out during the 2-1 win over Ireland, and on Friday earning the congratulations of the Australian fielders.
‘I’ve threatened to get a score of substance for a while, and it’s just nice to kick on and stake a claim,’ he said. ‘Ben Stokes isn’t here and – however many runs I get – I don’t think I’ll keep that spot. But that’s all I can do.
‘Against a big side and a very good attack, that innings was hugely enjoyable, but I know I can play better than that as well.’
At 29, Billings has been held back by a lack of opportunity, both because of England’s powerful middle order and because he has often warmed the bench at franchise tournaments like the IPL. But his growing maturity was reflected by his refusal to panic after a slow start, despite the Australians’ goading.
‘They reminded me I was 11 off 32 balls pretty consistently,’ he said. ‘Then you could just see the change a little bit. They went from “the game’s won” to “actually, right they might just have a little bit of a sniff”. It was pleasing.’
Meanwhile, Australia’s left-arm attack leader Mitchell Starc is an injury doubt for today’s game after slipping in the outfield in the series opener and suffering minor soreness in his upper leg.