Bairstow's 174 sends selectors a message

Jonny Bairstow has sent a not-so-subtle message to England selectors with a spectacular 174 in Yorkshire's One-Day Cup win over Durham at Headingley on Wednesday.

Australian Peter Handscomb finished the job for Yorkshire with a brisk 47 not out while at Southampton, out-of-favour former ODI batsman George Bailey made 52 in a losing cause for Hampshire against Middlesex.

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But it was Bairstow who stole the headlines, the right-hander smashing 174 from just 113 balls to lay the foundation as his team comfortably chased down the target of 336 with six wickets and 14 balls to spare.

Incredibly, the hard-hitting 'keeper-batsman was dismissed in the 34th over with the score at 2-249, by which point he'd contributed more than 69 per cent of the runs.

England captain Joe Root (55) fell soon after, leaving Handscomb to steer the ship, the Victorian timing his innings perfectly as he came within one blow of another half-century, facing just 38 balls before partner Tim Bresnan hit the winning runs.

Bairstow's sparkling hundred was timely ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy, given England selectors appear likely to overlook the 27-year-old from their starting line-up.

The Yorkshire product has been in remarkable form with the bat for the best part of two years, and with Sam Billings to take the gloves in the upcoming ODI series against Ireland (with first-choice wicketkeeper Jos Buttler playing in the IPL for Mumbai), Bairstow's only chance of making the XI in the global tournament looks like being as strictly a batsman.

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ECB selector James Whitaker inferred as much when he announced the squads for the Ireland series and Champions Trophy last month, adding that Bairstow was disappointed he hadn't been handed the 'keeping duties for the lead-up matches against the Irish.

"Clearly he thought he would be given a go again," Whitaker said of Bairstow's 'keeping hopes. "But it gives him a chance to concentrate on his batting again."

Bairstow would be a walk-up start in many ODI teams throughout the world but the batting strength of England at present – for which they're being touted warm Champions Trophy favourites – has seen him play only a bit-part role in the rejuvenation of the team under Trevor Bayliss since their 2015 World Cup disaster.

In 39 ODIs since, he's made just 16 appearances, scoring 395 runs at 35.90.

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In the same period, England's regular top six of Jason Roy, Alex Hales, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan, Buttler and Ben Stokes have all scored in excess of 900 runs at 40-plus averages and 90-plus strike-rates (see below), underscoring the challenge Bairstow faces to squeeze into the side for the tournament opener against Bangladesh on June 2.

In the other One-Day Cup match on Wednesday, Worcestershire and Northamptonshire played out a riveting tie, claiming one point apiece.

Bairstow's battle for an England spot – ODI runs since WC2015

Image Id: CD7B10A049004C3D82FF4B011279B166

England One-Day Cup

At Northampton:

Worcestershire 9-277 (O Cox 82, D Mitchell 75) tied with Northamptonshire 277 (R Newton 107, A Rossington 63, A Wakely 52)

At Headingley:

Durham 5-335 (S Cook 106, M Richardson 100 no, K Jennings 72) lost to Yorkshire 4-339 (J Bairstow 174, J Root 55, P Handscomb 47no) by six wickets

At Southampton:

Middlesex 295 (N Gubbins 114; R Topley 4-68) beat Hampshire 7-146 (G Bailey 52; T Roland-Jones 4-10) by 90 runs (DLS method)

Champions Trophy 2017 Guide

Squads: Every Champions Trophy squad named so far

Group A: Australia, New Zealand, England, Bangladesh.

Group B: India, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Pakistan.

Schedule

Warm-up matches

26 May – Australia v Sri Lanka, The Oval

27 May – Bangladesh v Pakistan, Edgbaston

28 May – India v New Zealand, The Oval

29 May – Australia v Pakistan, Edgbaston

30 May – New Zealand v Sri Lanka, Edgbaston

30 May – Bangladesh vs India, The Oval

Tournament

1 June – England v Bangladesh, The Oval (Day)

2 June – Australia v New Zealand, Edgbaston (D)

3 June – Sri Lanka v South Africa, The Oval (D)

4 June – India v Pakistan, Edgbaston (D)

5 June – Australia v Bangladesh, The Oval (D/N)

6 June – England v New Zealand, Cardiff (D)

7 June – Pakistan v South Africa, Edgbaston (D/N)

8 June – India v Sri Lanka, The Oval (D)

9 June – New Zealand v Bangladesh, Cardiff (D)

10 June – England v Australia, Edgbaston (D)

11 June – India v South Africa, The Oval (D)

12 June – Sri Lanka v Pakistan, Cardiff (D)

14 June – First semi-final (A1 v B2), Cardiff (D)

15 June – Second semi-final (A2 v B1), Edgbaston (D)

18 June – Final, The Oval (D)

19 June – Reserve day (D)