It's just good craic - Bairstow revelling in Roy partnership

It is no surprise that England's damaging back-to-back defeats, by Sri Lanka and Australia, came when Roy was absent with a torn hamstring. Not only does the Surrey man bring a fearless presence with him to the crease, he appears to bring the best out in Bairstow too.

The Yorkshireman averages 52.54 when they go out together, including seven of nine ODI hundreds, compared to 39.62 when he opens without Roy.

Bairstow, fresh from match-winning scores of 111 and 106 in his last two knocks, has a simple explanation.

"It's just a good craic. That's what it is. It's genuinely good fun," he said.

"It's pretty relaxed, good fun and the communication is important all the way through. We just keep each other going, it's nice, it's relaxed, and we just try and crack on and do what we do."

There is mutual belief too. Where some partnerships dovetail neatly, with one aggressor and one accumulator, Roy and Bairstow can bank on each other to keep the opposition under pressure as long as they are at the crease.

"Of course, you've got to have trust in each other, in an opening partnership. I'm sure that Andrew Strauss and Cooky (Alastair Cook) were the same when they opened in Tests, Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer were the same.

"Along the way there's going to be ups and downs but throughout it you've got to have trust within yourselves."

Given their rampant success it is easy to forget their union was one England happened upon somewhat by chance.

Roy and Alex Hales were first to pair up after the 2015 World Cup, but the former endured a slump in form that ended up with him being dropped for the Champions Trophy semi-final.

This week brings another semi, but now they go in fully established as a duo rather than scrapping for the same shirt.

Asked if that selection had put any strain on their relationship, Bairstow was clear.

"Absolutely not no, it's the nature of sport," he said. "It is part and parcel of it, you don't get in every team. You bat where there's an opportunity."

While English football has had a pair of semi-final setbacks in World Cups over the past year – Gareth Southgate's side losing to Croatia in Russia and the women's side beaten days ago by the United States – Bairstow takes his inspiration from elsewhere.

A huge rugby fan, Bairstow wants to replicate the achievements of his namesake, Jonny Wilkinson.

Asked if the struggles of the Three Lions and the Lionesses had crossed his mind, Bairstow responded: "That's a bit of a negative way of looking at it! I've not even thought about it.

"Let's remember that in 2003 an England team won a World Cup, so you can look at it in any which way you want. That Jonny became probably the best fly-half ever to play for England.

"I've had messages of support from mates outside cricket and it's nice to get support from people who are in different circles and different sports, of course, and refreshing."

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