England set to axe Roy for semi-final

England look set to drop out-of-form opener Jason Roy for their Champions Trophy semi-final against Pakistan, their biggest 50-over clash since their World Cup exit two years ago.

Captain Eoin Morgan won't confirm his XI until the toss on Wednesday morning UK time (7pm AEST) but said there was a possibility the team from their win against Australia last Saturday would be changed.

Roy played a minor role at England training in Cardiff on Tuesday, completing fielding drills but sitting out the start of the net session. The right-hander stood on the boundary line at Sophia Gardens, deep in conversation with coach Trevor Bayliss, as Jonny Bairstow had a long hit in the nets.

Bairstow appears the man most likely to open the batting in Roy's absence for the semi-final in Cardiff on Wednesday as the hosts eye their first-ever piece of silverware at a major 50-over tournament.

Image Id: 813D810D641B4103816C2B53807F7675 Image Caption: England coach Trevor Bayliss and opener Jason Roy at training on Tuesday // Cricket Network

"There's a chance we could make a change," Morgan told reporters on Tuesday. "Obviously, we won't announce the team until the toss, but there's a chance there could be a change.

"I mentioned after the last game that we're getting to the business end of the tournament and we need to produce results.

"So it's important that we get our best - well, what we feel is our best 11 to win the tournament tomorrow in order to win the game."  

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While Bairstow hasn't opened the batting in an ODI before, Morgan endorsed him for the role should he be given the nod on Wednesday.

"Jonny's qualities are - I believe he's a fantastic batsman," Morgan continued.

"I think his best attribute, certainly in white-ball cricket over the last year and a half, has been his relentless attitude to score runs regardless of the situation.

"When you have guys sitting on the sideline, they can get a little bit upset, and that can affect their performance when the actual chance comes along, but that doesn't seem to affect Jonny.

"I'd have no worries if he has to open the batting. I certainly believe we're in a good position at the moment as a batting unit, and if Jonny does get the opportunity, I'm sure he'll take it with both hands."

Roy made his ODI debut two months after England were knocked out at the group stage of the 2015 World Cup and has been a key figure in their rise to become arguably the world’s most feared 50-over outfit.

But the 26-year-old has suffered a major form slump recently, managing just 18 runs at an average of six in three innings during the Champions Trophy and has a top score of 20 in his last nine ODI knocks.

Bairstow, on the other hand, presented a compelling case for his inclusion in the lead-in to the ICC event. The Test gloveman, deployed as a specialist batsman, struck half-centuries against South Africa and Ireland in bilateral series last month and he also scored a brilliant 174 as an opener for Yorkshire in the domestic one-day tournament.

Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur was seemingly pleased with the news that Roy might be left out, even though Bairstow had played a match-winning innings against them at Headingley last year.

"I was particularly worried that Roy hadn't fired yet because I think he's very close to something quite good," Arthur said, laughing off suggestions that he was simply engaging in pre-match mind games.

"So if he's not playing, that wouldn't be too bad.

"Bairstow is a great player, and Bairstow came off the canvas against us last year. He wasn't supposed to play a half an hour before the game, got roped in for Buttler, and got Man of the Match. So that was an incredible performance.

"The only thing I will say, I know that Bairstow has opened at county level, he's never done it internationally, and I think that's a different ball game."

Champions Trophy 2017 Guide

Squads: Every Champions Trophy nation

Schedule

1 June – England beat Bangladesh by eight wickets

2 June – New Zealand v Australia, No Result

3 June – Sri Lanka lost to South Africa by 96 runs

4 June – India beat Pakistan by 124 runs

5 June – Australia v Bangladesh, No Result

6 June – England beat New Zealand by 87 runs

7 June – Pakistan beat South Africa by 19 runs (DLS method)

8 June – Sri Lanka beat India by seven wickets

9 June – Bangladesh beat New Zealand by five wickets

10 June – England beat Australia by 40 runs (DLS method)

11 June – India beat South Africa by eight wickets

12 June – Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by three wickets

14 June – First semi-final (England v Pakistan), Cardiff (D)

15 June – Second semi-final (Bangladesh v India), Edgbaston (D)

18 June – Final, The Oval (D)

19 June – Reserve day (D)