{"id":295660,"date":"2023-10-09T11:24:06","date_gmt":"2023-10-09T11:24:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/?p=295660"},"modified":"2023-10-09T11:24:06","modified_gmt":"2023-10-09T11:24:06","slug":"jos-buttler-concerned-by-poor-outfield-ahead-of-england-clash-with-bangladesh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/%d1%81ricket\/jos-buttler-concerned-by-poor-outfield-ahead-of-england-clash-with-bangladesh\/","title":{"rendered":"Jos Buttler concerned by \u2018poor\u2019 outfield ahead of England clash with Bangladesh"},"content":{"rendered":"
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England captain Jos Buttler has suggested the state of the outfield in Dharamshala could compromise \u201cthe integrity of the game\u201d when his side face Bangladesh on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The HPCA Stadium is one of the most visually stunning grounds in the world, set against the Himalayan mountain range of Dhauladhar, but the field of play is causing serious concerns due to its loose, sandy make-up and uneven grass coverage.<\/p>\n
Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman came close to a nasty injury on Saturday when his knee lodged in the surface as he slid to stop a boundary, with debris spraying up from the soil as he landed.<\/p>\n
The International Cricket Council have stressed that the outfield was rated \u2018average\u2019 by the officials at that game, while match referee Javagal Srinath has declared himself satisfied after a fresh inspection.<\/p>\n
But England have had two training days at the venue and are unimpressed by conditions, which appear to fall short of international norms.<\/p>\n
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Buttler said: \u201cI think it\u2019s poor, in my own opinion. It\u2019s not as good as it could be or should be.<\/p>\n
\u201cCertainly if you feel like you\u2019re having to hold yourself back, it\u2019s not a place you want to be as a team, or as a player, or in a World Cup match.\u201d<\/p>\n
He subsequently took his misgivings even further, telling the BBC: \u201cThe powers that be are comfortable\u2026 the only thing I would question is, if you are telling players not to dive and stuff does that question the integrity of the game?<\/p>\n
\u201cWorse case scenario is something bad happens, but fingers crossed that doesn\u2019t happen for both teams.\u201d<\/p>\n
You want to put your body on the line and be trying to save every single run and have confidence in the field<\/p>\n
Buttler appeared particularly frustrated at the idea of asking his side to hold back \u2013 particularly as they look to provide a rousing response to their hefty nine-wicket defeat against New Zealand in the tournament opener.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny time you\u2019re talking about being careful diving, or maybe being careful when you\u2019re fielding, it goes against everything you want to be as a team,\u201d Buttler said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou want to dive through a row houses to save a run. so it\u2019s obviously not ideal, the way the surface is.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s definitely one where you\u2019re going to have to be a little bit careful, which isn\u2019t what you want to be doing when you\u2019re playing for your country.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou want to put your body on the line and be trying to save every single run and have confidence in the field.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe won\u2019t be using it as an excuse, we\u2019ll just have to be a bit smart.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ben Stokes engaged in another long batting session in the nets, his second in as many days, but there is no prospect of him being risked as he continues to recover from a hip injury.<\/p>\n
More realistically, Stokes may be looking at the weekend clash against Afghanistan in Delhi for his World Cup return.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s good to see him back in the nets and building back towards full fitness but he\u2019s probably unlikely for tomorrow,\u201d Buttler admitted.<\/p>\n
England cannot afford to slip up for a second time following their false start in Ahmedabad, a match which saw a stuttering batting display followed by an insipid effort with the ball.<\/p>\n
There are plenty in the side with ground to claw back, with Joe Root perhaps the only player who emerged in credit after his busy 77, and Buttler senses a readiness to seize the moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had a couple of really good days of preparation and everyone is desperate to get out and put in a really good performance,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know we didn\u2019t play as well as we can in the last game and you\u2019re always desperate to put that right, both individually and as a team. So, there\u2019s plenty of hunger in the group and we\u2019re excited to get back on the field.\u201d<\/p>\n
England are likely to draft left-arm quick Reece Topley into their starting XI as they ponder shifting the balance of the side to include an extra specialist seam option.<\/p>\n