"My 150 [against the West Indies] in Grenada would be right up there as my best ever in ODIs. I obviously have fond memories of that game, but, looking ahead to Friday, that counts for nothing"
Thursday 13 June 2019 23:44, UK
Sky Sports columnist Jos Buttler says he is fit and feeling good for Friday's challenge against the West Indies, backs Jason Roy's claims for the Test team and talks Eoin Morgan's new sander…
I'm feeling good.
I had a big bruise on my leg from the game against Pakistan and it got stiffer while I batted against Bangladesh. It was more of a precaution not to field, but it has settled down since, and I'm ready to face the West Indies.
I haven't done much training, due to the weather - just a bit indoors - but, for me, that has maybe helped, allowing me to rest up and get my leg right.
The rain has been a bit frustrating for the tournament as a whole. It's a shame to see games rained off, but it has allowed Eoin Morgan and Joe Root to do a bit of bat maintenance.
The rain brings out the real badgers among the group, and Morgs has this new sander he has brought along with him - he and Rooty have been keeping themselves busy, thinking they're DIY experts.
The West Indies are a very dangerous side. We drew a very competitive series in the Caribbean earlier this year, so we know what to expect of them, and them of us.
My 150 in Grenada would be right up there as my best ever in ODIs. I obviously have fond memories of that game, but, looking ahead to Friday, that counts for nothing.
They're explosive with the bat, and they have some guys that charge in and can bowl really fast. They're very much a throwback West Indies side.
We've seen teams throughout the tournament having success with short-pitched bowling - not just the West Indies - so that's something we'll make sure we're well-prepared for.
Each individual batsman has different strengths and different ways of playing the short ball. Whatever option you choose, it's just about making sure you commit to it.
Chris Gayle is an incredible player. A big guy, with phenomenal power and a very big bat. It's quite the combo. Watching him up close from behind the stumps, I don't think there is anyone else in the world who makes six-hitting look quite so easy. We just hope he doesn't get going on Friday. Andre Russell the same, if he's fit to play.
I've seen the standards Russell sets in the IPL - he had a fantastic tournament this year. He is made for the T20 format, he bowls fast and can smack it out of the park, and we've already seen at this World Cup that he can transfer that into the 50-over game.
We're looking forward to the challenge. It's about going into the game in the right frame of mind and switching on mentally. The lads are feeling good.
As for Jofra Archer, he's taking everything in his stride. It's a big game for him, playing against the West Indies, but every game in this World Cup is a big one.
He doesn't ever seem to get too fired up, he's pretty horizontal and relaxed at the best of times, but he put in another fantastic performance against Bangladesh.
It's great to be going into this game off the back of a really pleasing win in Cardiff.
We showed the right attitude from the off, especially having lost the toss and been put in, with Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow sharing a century stand to set a fantastic platform for the team.
Jason then kicked on to score 153, though sadly I was inside and so missed his comical collision with the umpire as he brought up his hundred.
He was about to take off and leap into the air in celebration but ran straight into him. He's a solid boy is Jason, so it could have been worse, but it was a big hit all the same. It was funny watching the guys' reaction on the balcony.
He has been talked about as an option for the Test team for quite a while, and I'm sure he can translate his success over to red-ball cricket.
He's obviously immensely talented, and the form he has shown of late, opening the innings in international cricket, means he is ticking a lot of boxes. I'm sure the selectors are keeping a keen eye on him.
He is playing with a lot of freedom and he has a lot of trust in his game. That's very transferable.
Jason and the batsmen helped set the game up, and then it was a really strong bowling performance from everyone - the most impressive moment being Jofra's ball to bowl Soumya Sarkar that went for six off the stumps. There was never any danger of that delivery not dislodging the zing bails!
It has been strange to watch, the frequency at which the stumps have been hit but the bails not dislodged over the last few weeks.
I would say it's just a bit of an anomaly, and the zing bails are a fantastic thing for the crowd, but what has been unusual it that the ball has seemed to hit the stumps quite hard on occasion.
Mitchell Starc had one to Gayle, and there was another from Trent Boult too. This isn't the ball just trickling on to the stumps, these guys are fast bowlers and hitting them at full pace.
You feel that's pretty unlucky. Though I might say differently as a batsman. It depends which side of the fence I'm on at the time.
You can watch every match of the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup on Sky Sports Cricket, including England's next game against West Indies from 10am on Friday.
