Jonny Bairstow (England player) pre-match Press Conference - 7th June 2024
[Reporter:]
How are you feeling personally and how is the group feeling ahead of this big match?
[Jonny Bairstow:]
Feeling good, thanks. It's obviously great to be in Barbados. 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.
[Reporter:]
Because of the nature of the game the other night, you know, you guys didn't get, certainly the batters didn't get a chance to do anything. And a couple of games have got away and got results. Has that left you playing catch up a little bit going into this game do you feel?
[Jonny Bairstow:]
I don't think so, I think you just go into every game exactly the same we know that we want to be winning every game from here so look you can look at it in many different ways but one point is better than none and you can't control the weather.
[Reporter:]
In terms of this Australia team a lot of familiar faces, same dressing room to yours it's a fixture that we see lots does it bring the best out of you, what do you feel going into these games against Australia now?
[Jonny Bairstow:]
Look they're great games aren’t they, 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.
[Reporter:]
And in terms of the pitches that we've seen out here so far, I think there's maybe a feeling that it would have been a big six fest in the West Indies and teeing it up for that and you got a lot of power in your top order, but it may be a bit more nuanced than that and have you got an idea of how you think things have to play out to win a game out here?
[Jonny Bairstow:]
I've not actually been out to the middle to be honest with you, just now there's obviously been a couple of different scores the other night in that Scotland game them getting 100 or whatever it was in the 10 overs comparatively with what happened in the game the night before it was obviously a low score. So, I think it can go both ways I wasn't expecting pitches to be really flat and you see scores of 250-260 like you have done in the IPL because of the nature of the conditions. You've got the wind, you've got slightly slower pitches, you only have to look at how the CPL goes and the games previously here. If someone gets in and gets going and utilises the wind then yes you can score upwards of it but at the same time if you're canny enough and clever enough to protect those scoring areas and skilful enough to execute the skills then you can restrict teams to lower scores.
[Reporter:]
Kieran Pollard has come in for this tournament, I just wondered if you could talk a little bit about what he's brought to the group.
[Jonny Bairstow:]
I don't think there needs much explanation when it comes to Polly. 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
[Reporter:]
Is he a guy you you've spoken to personally He's a resource you can get kind of go to throughout the tournament if you need advice?
[Jonny Bairstow:]
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.
[Reporter:]
What do you think - like a win on Saturday can do for England's tournament and momentum?
[Jonny Bairstow:]
A win is a win, it doesn't derail us either way. We know we've got to win more games than we lose in tournament cricket, that's just part and parcel of it. A win puts you in a position in the group which is obviously more favourable, that's just the way it is, but at the end of the day, the other two games that we've got post this are must-win games anyway. So, yeah, it'll be good for momentum, it'll be good for confidence. But at the same time, if that doesn't happen, then it's not a derailer to the group because like I said with Polly there's a wealth of experience not just in the coaching staff also in the players and to have those experiences to be able to call upon when things are potentially going not so well is a fantastic position to be in.
[Reporter:]
You've played a fair bit of cricket against Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins. You probably haven't played on a pitch quite like what you're going to get tomorrow? Like just what's that challenge like for you?
[Jonny Bairstow:]
Look, like I said, I've not actually been to see the wicket. However, we've played them in different conditions all around the world. So, whether that's in Australia, in England, out in the IPL, in the World Cups, over in India just recently or here in the Caribbean. You've got to adapt to the conditions that are put in front of you. Their skill sets are their skill sets. They've obviously been working on things, that's how people evolve and people develop but we've been working on things as well from a batting point of view - so look it'll be a fantastic battle as it always is when you've got three guys that you mentioned there and also Nathan Ellis as well with the skill set that he brings, whether he plays going up against a strong batting line-up and vice versa. They'll be having conversations around our bowling attack when you've got Archer, Wood, Topley, Jordan and likewise with their batters and the form that they're in too.
[Reporter:]
I've just got a couple, first of all you mentioned Nathan Ellis, what have you made of him from what you've observed?
[Jonny Bairstow:]
First of all, he's a great guy, he's a lovely fella and yeah, his skill set and the way he's been obviously patient to try and get into the side I think is a credit to him. I think that the way in which he bowls, I think his slower balls and deception of them is naturally a strength of his and just his character. Look, I think that whoever plays - we need to be aware of the strengths and weaknesses, but someone like Nathan obviously is very different to Starc, Hazlewood, and Cummins. First of all, in stature, it brings a completely different challenge. But also, with his deception of slower balls is very much different to what the other three have. So, look, we'll wait and see as to which three or four seamers they play. But yeah, there's definitely discussions around Nathan because he's a quality individual.
[Reporter:]
And just, I mean, the last several times when you've played against Australia, it's either been in England or in Australia with all the stuff that comes around that. Is it almost a bit easier when, not easier, but how different is it when you're playing Australia in a country here where I mean look how many people here and in this press box and all of that other noise goes away
[Jonny Bairstow:]
It doesn't really bother me to be honest whether you go into Australia it's an amazing place to go and play and it brings the best out of people when you are over there. Similarly, when Australia come to England, they're speaking about exactly the same things. So yeah - and that's just how it is. It's a great spectacle but I don't think it detracts away from anything. I look back at the T20 World Cup in Dubai for instance and the game that we played against Australia there and that was another fantastic game of cricket, wasn't it? So, no matter whether you're playing in Australia or in England, whether you're playing in World Cups or wherever it may be, they're always entertaining games and two very good teams going at it.
[Reporter:]
They talk a lot about Chris and Jofra born here and Phil Salt going to school here, but you've been coming to Barbados for 30 years. Yep. You know, what's special about it and what's changed about it in that time?
[Jonny Bairstow:]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. 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 and feeling 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.
[Reporter:]
A documentary has recently come out which has followed Australia through last year's Ashes series. I was just wondering if you'd seen any of it or seen any of the fallout from it and whether you felt any of the reflections from Australia from that day at Lords was in any way disrespectful to you at all?
[Jonny Bairstow:]
I've not seen any of it to be quite honest with you. I've got other things that I watch on TV and what have you. I think I've seen enough cricket when you're involved in it day to day and playing with it. I'm okay, don't need to sit and watch it in my hotel room.
[Reporter:]
In over the 12 months where you inevitably bump into players from Australia at the IPL or other places you know did the events of that Lord's test as come up in conversation, is it anything you've chatted to any of the players about?
[Jonny Bairstow:]
Not really, I think that post that event the way in which us as a side reacted to that, I think was a real positive way and you look at the results after that thing that happened at Lord’s and I actually think that we finished that series a lot stronger than Australia did. So, look I think that the impact that it had on us as a side and the test side was actually a very positive effect and look you can make your own assumptions as to what effect it had on Australia and their individuals.
it's warner turn to hit six
Unofficial Australian Anthem.
