ENGLAND v SRI LANKA, WORLD T20: FIVE THINGS

England are in the final of the 2016 World Twenty20 after a dominating seven-wicket win over New Zealand. Here are five things we learned…

MAN OF THE DAY – JASON ROY 78 (44)

Absolutely mental. He’s been threatening to do this for a while, has Jason Roy. The key to what he does is simple: he’s never satisfied. He’s not one of those “boundary then single” batsmen. He doesn’t think much about getting out of overs when he has enough. In Roy’s head, he can never have enough. It’s an ideal runaway train of though for T20 cricket. Every ball is a boundary opportunity, no matter where it’s bowled, how quick it is or how much it moves. Corey Anderson was butchered for four fours in the first over and was never seen again. Adam Milne, one of the world’s quickest, was flat-batted over his head for six. Mitchell Santner was dismissed as not the new Daniel Vettori but a very naughty boy. It was utterly breathtaking.

JORDAN AT THE DEATH

T20 bowling is all about game-to-game form. And in a World T20, with those games coming thick and fast, Chris Jordan is on something of a roll. He bowled 12 dot balls, while conceding just 12 off his final two overs. He also somehow managed to bowl his other two overs in the Power Play – one which New Zealand blitzed thanks to Kane Williamson and Colin Munro – yet still finished the innings with an economy rate of six. It wasn’t just the execution of his yorkers, but it was the pace and accuracy, too. Jordan has gone from liability to godsend in the space of a fortnight.

SOMETHING OF EVERYTHING

Left-arm swing with the new ball (David Willey), right arm swing with the older one (Ben Stokes). Fast and up there (Liam Plunkett), skiddy and at them (Chris Jordan). Away from the stumps (Adil Rashid), towards them with dip (Moeen Ali). In previous generations, this bowling attack would be a pack of average all sorts. But here, there is something for every eventuality – a plan for any batsmen in the world. Sometimes they come up short and none of the six have the right idea (see Chris Gayle). But more often that not, someone will find a way. It is a credit to this attack that after New Zealand got to 89-1 after 10 overs, they could only muster 64 off the remaining 60 balls.

SQUAD GOALS

What a likeable bunch. It’s hard to recall a group of players that the public have had no issues in really getting. Not just a cricket team, but any England team – regardless of the sport. There’s a charm here that is helping fans reconnect and engage with a sport that has tried its best to lose the heart of what makes it great. Twenty20 cricket, by design, was the vehicle to bring new fans to the sport. Not only are this squad doing that, but they’re also pushing it to the front of the casual fan’s conscience.

THE TURNAROUND

A year ago, England put together one of the worst, most soul-sapping performances in a ICC event when they stunk out the 2015 World Cup. Antiquated tactics, unimaginative batting, pathetic bowling – there was a legitimate argument to have them stripped of their full-member status. Yet here they are, the toast of the Taj, chasing down 230 and making mincemeat of one of the pre-tournament favourites. All in the space of a year.