Billy Stanlake “is going to be a challenge, but that’s the excitement of playing international cricket”
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Australia pace bowler Billy Stanlake wreaked havoc with the ball in the T20 tri-series opener against New Zealand, but despite this, England batsman Dawid Malan is relishing going up against the 23-year-old when their teams clash in Hobart on February 7.
Stanlake dismissed Colin Munro and Martin Guptill in successful deliveries before taking out Tom Bruce in his next over. With the lanky pace bowler registering career-best figures of 3-15 in Australia’s seven-wicket win via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, he was named Man of the Match.
Big Bad Billy Stanlake! Wow! https://t.co/lzl6eat8Xs #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/EI5i2NyrRi
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) February 3, 2018
While Malan admitted that Stanlake looked in excellent form with the ball, he made it clear that England will try to halt his momentum and disrupt his rhythm at the Bellerive Oval.
“You can’t really miss him, he’s a tall bloke,” Malan was quoted as saying by Sky Sports. “He looks a fantastic bowler, swings it when he pitches it up and bowls at good pace.
“I think he is going to be a challenge, but that’s the excitement of playing international cricket: you get to come up against guys like that.
“For us it’s about trying to put him off his game and finding ways to score off him. He might bowl exceptionally but eventually someone might get hold of him and people might work things out.”
Even though Stanlake is a fresh face in Australia’s team, Malan pointed out that the England team have done their homework by examining a lot of footage of the pace bowler.
“No matter who you play against you do your preparation and everything is on offer for us,” he said. “The analyst gives out the iPads with all their bowling actions and their slower balls on. You’ll listen to the analysts, watch the footage and try to find out a way to go about him.
“It’s about finding little cues…how they bowl their slower balls, what they do under pressure. There’s always something you can pick up.”