GRIN AND BAIR IT!

Brilliant Bairstow puts a smile on England’s faces with match-winning knock at his favourite ground

Bairstow continues his winning run at Newlands with a brutal innings of 86 not out

JONNY BAIRSTOW lit up Newlands once more with an innings of spellbinding quality to t a k e England to a fivewicket win in their opening T20. Batting at four rather than in his usual opening slot, Bairstow pummelled 86 not out with a mixture of brute force, sweet timing and outrageous placement.

It was here nearly five years ago that Bairstow, and indeed Ben S toke s (right), put the South African bowlers to the sword in bright sunshine and in front of a packed full house.

Their strokeplay that day was in the Test arena, but it would have worked just as well in T20 cricket and they channelled the same energy here despite playing under artificial light and in n an echoing ground und to help reach h their target t of 180 with four balls to spare.

If Bairstow w was miffed d about being ing nudged down wn the order when he had opened the batting in 13 of his last 16 T20 games, he let his bat do the talking as he so often does when there is a point to prove.

But don’t think this incredible knock that included nine fours and four sixes was all about point- scoring, this was white-ball batsmanship of the highest class that speaks to Bairstow’s pure ability.

“It is one of my favourite grounds and it is just a shame there wasn’t a crowd in,” said Bairstow. “It was pleasing to get the boys y over the line. “Mo “Moving to four is something y you’ve got to e enjoy.

“Whether y ou are opening the b batting or do down at six, you learn to craft your y innings in different ways and that has stood me in good stead for batting at four.

“If it continues then great. Different surfaces might mean changing the order and we are very flexible and are lucky to have people who can come in and play different innings.” It was a new personal high for the 31-year-old, but it needed a touch of caution at first with the score at 34- 3 when he was joined by Stokes.

Jason Roy, not for the first time, was undone by spin for a second- ball duck, while fellow opener Jos Buttler was back in the changing room for seven.

The red- haired duo combined for an 85-run stand that put England back on course in a game where their skipper admitted they hadn’t played that well.

Eoin Morgan added: “When you win games like that when you don’t play your best cricket it’s pretty pleasing. Probably only three players played well and Jonny had an unbelievably good day.”

Sam Curran would have been the other player to catch Morgan’s eye, claiming a career best 3-28 with his mixed bag of cutters and short balls.