Records only 'stepping stones' to Cup: Roy

Jason Roy is proud of the batting records England have been amassing in one-day international cricket but has warned they should only be seen  as "stepping stones" on the way to the 2019 World Cup.

No England side have won the men's World Cup but Eoin Morgan's team want to put that right on home soil next year.

They are currently top of the ODI rankings and lead world champions Australia 4-0 in a five-match bilateral series ahead of Sunday's finale at Old Trafford.

Roy has been a key figure in England's excellent recent run in 50-over cricket, bouncing back in style from the disappointment of being dropped for the team's Champions Trophy semi-final defeat by eventual tournament winners Pakistan in Cardiff last year.

The 27-year-old opener hit an England ODI record 180 against Australia in Melbourne in January.

And the ongoing series has seen Roy score two hundreds, with his 101 at Chester-le-Street on Thursday key to a six-wicket win that left England in sight of their first 5-0 ODI series sweep of Australia.

In between his latest centuries, Roy made 82 as England piled up an all-time men's ODI record score of 6-481 at Trent Bridge.  

Roy and Jonny Bairstow have now shared five century stands for the first wicket - more than any other England duo at this level.   

"The records are fantastic obviously, and it's a nice reward for the hard work we have put in," said Roy.

"(But) our main aim is to make sure these are just stepping stones to the bigger picture - the World Cup.

"It's great breaking all the records and stuff but at the end of the day, the aim is to have this confidence come the World Cup."

Roy has now scored six hundreds in 89 ODI appearances but, unsurprisingly for an attacking opener in this format, there have been setbacks too, including a second-ball duck when he was bowled by Billy Stanlake at The Oval last week.

That dismissal meant Roy had gone nine innings without a fifty but he never lost faith in his own ability. 

"It was interesting hearing that I was struggling," he said. "I got a couple of 40s, and obviously those aren't good enough as an opener.

"I felt pretty good in New Zealand, (but) just didn't get a big score ... I just wasn't kicking on."

Roy's main ambition, though, is to help England, whose lone major global limited overs title remains the 2010 World Twenty20 in the Caribbean, win another white-ball trophy.

Morgan's men had been tipped as favourites to take out last year's Champions Trophy in the UK but, after axing Roy for the semi-final, were bowled out for 211 in an upset defeat to eventual champions Pakistan. 

"As a kid I did look up to the Champions Trophy and wanted to play well," he explained.

"But I got dropped - and that was heartbreaking for me - so going away and putting in the hard work, I know I'm going to get my rewards.

"Let's hope this time next year I'm at the World Cup, I'm in decent form and can win some games for the team."

Meanwhile Roy said there was no great secret to England's climb to the top of the ODI rankings, which came before a shock six-run loss to Scotland on the eve of the Australia series.  

"It's not a surprise - we are working extremely hard," he explained. "We have put in a lot of hard work and deserve the results we are getting.

"We are all very good friends - it's just a case of wanting the best out of your mate.

"It's pretty simple."

Qantas tours of the UK and Zimbabwe

Australia ODI squad: Tim Paine (c), Aaron Finch (vc), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye

England ODI squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Craig Overton, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, David Willey, Mark Wood

Australia T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Alex Carey (vc), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Jack Wildermuth

England T20 squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, David Willey

Qantas Tour of the UK

June 7: Australia beat Sussex by 57 runs at Hove

June 9: Australia beat Middlesex by 101 runs at Lord's

June 13: England won by three wickets at The Oval

June 16: England won by 38 runs in Cardiff

June 19: England won by 242 runs at Trent Bridge

June 21: England won by six wickets in Durham

June 24: Fifth ODI, Old Trafford

June 27: Only T20, Edgbaston (D/N)

Qantas T20I tri-series Tour of Zimbabwe

July 1: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan

July 2: Pakistan vs Australia

July 3: Australia vs Zimbabwe

July 4: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan

July 5: Pakistan vs Australia

July 6: Australia vs Zimbabwe

July 8: Final