ICC T20 WORLD CUP 2021

October 26, 2021

Jos Butler

Sheikh Zayed Stadium

England

Pre Match Media Conference

Q. A great start against the West Indies. How much confidence can you take from that and do you have to maybe temper that with some realism that some tougher tests lie ahead?

JOS BUTLER: Yeah, we take lots of confidence from the first game. It's absolutely fantastic to get a win on the board and we know West Indies didn't play anywhere near their best. We focussed on ourselves, and I thought everything we wanted to happen came off brilliantly well and we take that confidence.

But now we prepare well for our next match against Bangladesh, and we'll be fully ready for the big challenge that they will throw at us.

Q. We know that Bangladesh are capable of an upset. Does that stop complacency from creeping in, and how important in tournament cricket is it to build winning momentum?

JOS BUTLER: Winning momentum is vital, isn't it. Sort of the way the tournament is set out; there's not much room for mistakes. The beauty of T20 cricket is anyone can beat anyone on their day, and an individual can win a match for their team.

But no, we prepare well and we are a very level team, don't get too high, don't get too low and we'll try to bring our level of intensity which always brings our best level to the game.

Q. Ben Stokes, his return for The Ashes, on a tournament level and cricketing level, how big of a boost is that?

JOS BUTLER: It's a massive boost for everyone. I think first and foremost for Ben to be in a position where he's happy and healthy, both physically and mentally to resume his cricket career is brilliant.

As a teammate and a friend and as fans of cricket, I think everyone is going to be delighted to see Ben Stokes back on the field. It's a massive boost for England and the ashes and for cricket as a whole.

Q. Taking a knee has become a bit of a hot button issue the last couple of hours as Quinton de Kock has refused to do and withdrawn from South Africa's fixture against the West Indies. Are you able to say whether you'll be taking a knee tomorrow and for the rest of the tournament?

JOS BUTLER: Yeah, I think our position as a team is we stand against any form of discrimination. What we would like to do as a team is take a moment of unity which we did at times during our summer. We all need to reciprocate the opposition. West Indies like to take a knee, so we wanted to reciprocate that in the first game.

But yeah, hopefully we can make some form at the start. But as a side and our culture as a team, we of course stand against any form of discrimination and we are very passionate about that.

Q. Do you think it's up to cricket boards to make demands of players as cricket, South Africa has done with its players? How do you feel about it?

JOS BUTLER: I'm not sure to be honest. I can only speak about myself and our team. I think it's something we feel strongly about. It's an important part of our culture as a team, and that's all I can say on that.

Q. How do you feel about the crease, and do you think the break of not playing in the IPL has been beneficial for you?

JOS BUTLER: Yeah, I'm feeling good. I think I enjoyed that break. I thought it was good for me. I think in an ideal world, you probably come into a tournament like this with maybe a little bit more cricket behind you, of course the IRL being here in the UAE would be the perfect sort of lead-in to a tournament.

But now I'm in the position where I'm experienced enough and I've played in these conditions before. I feel like I know what it takes in practice to get me in a position where I feel like I can go out there and perform. I've been feeling good. I feel like I'm hitting the ball well in the nets and just trying to use my experience.

Q. A lot of teams have opened the bowling with left-arm spin against you and Jason over the last 18 months or so, including West Indies. Can you tell us a bit about the challenge of facing left-arm spin with a new ball and your method against it?

JOS BUTLER: Yeah, I think it's something that we'll see throughout this tournament. It's been playing a prevalent part in the power play, and yeah, of course the challenge of the ball spinning away from the batter is a new matchup in the cricket. Obviously with the new ball, some can skid on with the angle and potentially there may be a bit of spin as well.

It's been sort of really clinical with picking length and looking to be positive with that option. I know it's something we have -- a strength of our team is the flexibility of our order and if that became a trend, I guess we could try and counter that with a change of order as well.

Q. Bangladesh obviously beat a couple of left arm spinners in the last game. Is that something you've been preparing for ahead of tomorrow's game?

JOS BUTLER: Yeah, absolutely. We prepare specifically for the opposition and so for the conditions we face, the spins, it's going to play a huge part in this tournament and of course Bangladesh have a couple of left-arm spinners. Been practicing against that a lot in the nets and trying to get some plans in place.

Q. Do you know what form precisely the moment of unity will take?

JOS BUTLER: No, I don't. I think it's something we'd like to do as a team. I think you have to get some clearance from the ICC for that, as well.

But as I said, it's something we would like to do as a team but I don't know the specifics behind it at the moment.

Q. And just on Ben, if I may, Ben Stokes. There has been a lot of uncertainty about who will and who won't go and that sort of stuff. Now that it's pretty much an all-strength England squad and that must give guys due cause for optimism.

JOS BUTLER: Say the last bit again.

Q. How optimistic are you about England's chances with Australia now that you've got a pretty much full strength squad?

JOS BUTLER: Yeah, it's great to have a pretty much full strength side. I think personally and individually, very focussed at the moment on the World Cup. Ashes is next in line but we need to full if I focus on the World Cup. It's a world tournament and we want to perform well in this tournament. To be thinking too much about The Ashes right now I don't think is the right thing to be doing.

Q. It's quite an unusual situation to find yourself in a tournament to face a team that you've never actually played any T20 matches against before. But you've never played Bangladesh in a T20 match, so how will it be like to play your first game against them?

JOS BUTLER: Yeah, we know the challenges we'll face. We've played against them lots in 50-over cricket. We know they are a dangerous side. They have got a lot of experience in T20 cricket as well, some very good players playing quite a specific style that is quite unique to them I feel as well.

We focus obviously and try to plan for the opposition but at the same time we are focusing on ourselves, trying to get our level of intensity to the place it needs to be. I think we feel confident as a group that when we get that right, no matter who we play against, it's going to give us the best chance of success. We have plans as we need to but we focus a lot on ourselves.

Q. You landed on a pretty successful combination against the Indies. Mark Wood will be fit for some action. Any other injury concerns, and what are your thoughts between yourself and Owen about the balance of the side?

JOS BUTLER: Yeah, I think the side's balanced well, and I think whichever sort of route we go down, the side is going to be nicely balanced. I think Woody is obviously one of those guys that with express pace and we know what kind of factor he can play in matches when he's fully fit.

Of course we want to be picking from a fully strength quad, and everybody being fit and that gives Chris Silverwood and Morgster the best chance to pick the side that they see best for the conditions.

Yeah, obviously we'll have to pick a side that is best for the conditions we face tomorrow in a day game.

Q. When things go so well in a tournament, and you put in that kind of a performance, there's always a temptation not to change a winning team. Is that the kind of mentality that you think Owen and Chris might have or are you very much keen to disregard the previous game and literally just concentrate solely on who is in front of you?

JOS BUTLER: We are always sort of focussed on the next game and what the next game demands. If the conditions are drastically different, we wouldn't be afraid of playing a different makeup of the team if we had to.

I think we cover most bases with the side we picked in the first match. But as I said, if conditions are incredibly different we'd be happy to change the team. I can't foresee them being too different to be honest, but it's great to have what we hope is a fully fit squad to choose from.

Q. Your first and only daytime game tomorrow. Can you just tell me if you've changed timing of training to specifically work up to it, and anything you're doing to deal with daytime heat?

JOS BUTLER: I think training sessions are sort of planned in by the ICC, so you don't have -- we've played a lot in the day. In Oman we were training in the day. Yesterday we trained in the daytime -- had an evening practice which was optional. Guys who played in the IPL have played day games and have been quite used to that, so that's not going to be a factor in those matches.

But no, we've either all been in Oman for a period of time in the heat or guys have been playing in the IPL. So everyone is quite accustomed to what to expect from the conditions.

Q. You talked earlier about Bangladesh having a specific style of game. I wonder if you can say what you thought that was and who on their side has particularly impressed you?

JOS BUTLER: I think, well, generally it's a spin heavy-side and they play a lot of finger spinners with some great experience. For example, Shakib Al Hasan has played a number of T20 games around the world. And generally their batsmen, as I say as a rule at times, are generally quite -- very strong square over the wicket. I think you could say that players such as Shakib and Mushfiqur, Mahmudullah, they have been around for a little while. Mustafizur is a threat with his left arm bowling and an excellent slower ball. Yeah, that's generally what I mean by that. Like I said, a team full of some match winners.

Q. This will be very fast meeting against England. How do you evaluate Bangladesh condition and current form?

JOS BUTLER: I think Bangladesh are a strong team. I think over the last few years, especially at home, they have had a lot of success in T20 cricket, coming to conditions here which will be quite familiar to a number of the players and sort of what they generally expect to face at home, and as I just mentioned some really experienced players on the team.

So we are expecting a really tough challenge.

Q. You have come across a few different Bangladesh side so far in your career, the famous team in the 2015 World Cup and later as well. But this Bangladesh side is a bit up and down terms of form. How do you see them? Do you feel more confident because they are under pressure?

JOS BUTLER: No, not at all. I think we fully expect to face Bangladesh at their best tomorrow. Like I said, just mentioned, they have been very strong at home in recent years. Conditions here are generally quite similar. So no, we are expecting a really good performance from Bangladesh tomorrow, and a very tough game.