Bopara the hero in Windies mauling

World T20 winners thrash visitors by 10 wickets in first match.

LONDON:

Ravi Bopara is confident his medium-pace bowling will be a potent weapon in next year’s World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka.

The Essex all-rounder took an England best-ever four for 10 in the first Twenty20 against the West Indies at the Oval on Friday and thinks there is more to come. Bopara’s bowling helped England to a crushing 10-wicket win, leaving the West Indies attempting to rebuild their confidence ahead of the second and final game back at the Oval that takes place tonight.

Bopara’s bowling has helped him cement his place in England’s one-day side and his batting flourished in the recent one-day series against India when he scored a career-best 96 at Lord’s. But the 26-year-old proved he has another string to his bow with his bowling and is relishing the chance to turn his arm over on the wickets in Sri Lanka in a year’s time.

“I fancy myself bowling in the sub-continent,” said Bopara. “Those pitches are quite low and it is difficult to get the ball away at times, especially in Sri Lanka and hopefully I will get the chance. Medium pace in Twenty20 cricket is very, very important, just like the spinners. They play a massive part because the batters have got to put pace on the ball and try and hit the ball. They can be very, very handy.”

Bopara’s efforts on Friday relegated Paul Collingwood and Jade Dernbach to second place in England’s list of best bowling figures in a Twenty20 international.

“The last month has been very good for me. I only got 40-odd in the Test match at the Oval but that freed me up a lot during the one-dayers. I played with a free spirit and said to myself ‘just back yourself and just hit the ball’. That is what I have tried to do for Essex for a number of years and I am glad it has come off.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25^th, 2011.