Former captain Michael Vaughan believes that Jos Buttler gives the England cricket team the “best chance they have ever had” of winning the ICC World Cup. Buttler’s 110 not out rescued England from the brink of defeat as they beat Australia by one wicket in the fifth one-day international at Old Trafford on Sunday to complete a 5-0 whitewash of the reigning world champions. England, the world’s top-ranked ODI side, are the tournament hosts for the 2019 World Cup. But they have never lifted the men’s version of cricket’s premier one-day trophy and haven’t won a knockout match at the tournament since making the last of their three losing appearances in the final back in 1992.
“I look at the England side and Buttler is the one,” Vaughan told.
“Teams that win trophies have X-factor cricketers. He’s right up there,” he added. “I’ve got everything crossed that he doesn’t pick up an injury.
“If he’s fit next year, they’ve got the best chance they have ever had,” insisted the former Yorkshire batsman, a veteran of 82 Tests and 86 ODIs from 1999-2008.
“What he provides to the team is that calmness,” said Vaughan of Buttler. “Whenever he is out there in the middle, he reads the game better than most. “He knows and the team know that the opposition are scared of him more than most.”
England have made huge strides in 50-over cricket their miserable showing at the last World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, with this series seeing them set a new all-time men’s ODI record total of 481 for six in Nottingham. But Vaughan said the experience of winning a game where they were all but beaten on Sunday would be a bigger boost to England’s self-confidence.
“Forget the 481 at Trent Bridge and the other hammerings — this game is one England will take more from,” Vaughan said.
“For them to get over the line today — in a real close game after Australia were favourites — this means more.”
