Trevor Bayliss says attacking approach key for England at World Twenty20
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 24/02/16 12:18pm
England must be bold if they are to have any chance of winning the ICC World Twenty20, says coach Trevor Bayliss.
Bayliss faces an unenviable task to strike the right balance as he debriefs Eoin Morgan's team after the miserable end to their tour of South Africa.
A frantic collapse of seven wickets for 14 runs at the Wanderers left England's callow bowling attack with nowhere to hide when AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla went on the fast-track rampage to a 2-0 series victory on Sunday.
The nine-wicket trouncing, with more than five overs unused, was England's most comprehensive in the sprint format and their worst too of five defeats in succession over the past two weeks against South Africa.
Confidence was building when they went 2-0 up in the one-day international series, with a Test victory to topple their world number one hosts already in the bag.
But five times in 13 days since, they failed to defend a total in white-ball cricket - losing the ODI series 3-2 and both Twenty20s.
Aggressive intent had to be construed alternatively as recklessness on several occasions, as they apparently failed to take account of altered conditions or a loss of wickets which required a modicum of consolidation.
Bayliss is adamant nonetheless that it would be folly to ditch the adventure, just when England will need it most in India next month.
"I can guarantee you one thing, the team that wins the World Twenty20 will be the boldest team there," said the Australian.
"They will be the team that goes out and plays good, positive, aggressive cricket.
"If we go out and try to be too nice, or if we give that advantage away or are not as positive and aggressive as we have been when we have played well and won, then we will still not win - because there will be teams out there with the confidence, players and ability to go out and play that way."
England have prospered under Morgan, assistant coach Paul Farbrace and Bayliss since their World Cup embarrassment in Australia and New Zealand a year ago, and it has come about with a free-spirited attitude to batting and power-hitting.
South Africa proved a step too far but Bayliss wants to continue to build self-belief before they rejoin forces in Mumbai for two World Twenty20 warm-up matches and then the start of their group campaign against West Indies on March 16.
He said: "When there are constantly questions being asked, it does get to the players. It is one of the things they have to get past.
"They have to be able to take that criticism and still go out and play their own game."
Bayliss believes sound technique, rather than pure brute strength, can maximise boundary options.
"Yes, these guys have got to learn to play good cricket shots," he said. "I thought we were trying to hit too many balls into the top of the stand.
"India will be a perfect example, smaller grounds and perfect outfields, and all you have to do is play good cricket shots and keep your shape."
