Andre Russell: Don't underestimate my bowling

JAMES COYNE AT TRENT BRIDGE: Big-hitting star says he will continue to attack the batsmen as his 16 consecutive short balls set Pakistan on the road to ruin

Andre Russell urged statisticians to update his bowling style to “right-arm fast” after his short and rapid barrage put the wind up Pakistan on the second day of the World Cup.

Russell unleashed 16 consecutive short balls at the start of his spell in West Indies' opening game, and it spooked Pakistan’s batsmen to the extent that they crumbled to 105 all out. West Indies comfortably, if a little scrappily, knocked off the runs to complete a seven-wicket win in 35 overs instead of the scheduled 100. With the umpires not falling into the trap of widing the deliveries for height, it was like turning the clock back to the days when West Indies bowled prolonged spells of short stuff.

Russell, with tongue lodged slightly in cheek, registered his annoyance with references to his bowling that still include the word "medium", and said that he felt “underestimated” as a genuinely quick option.

“A lot of people have been saying I have been coming in the team as a big hitter, but a lot of people don’t remember that I’m a fast bowler,” he said.

“I think they underestimate me. I have been getting jealous in the past couple of years! People have me as ‘a medium-pacer’. When I see Andre Russell come on the screen and I’m a medium pacer, I think, ‘Who are they talking to?’

“At the end of the day, I show them I can bowl 90mph and I just think they should put some respect on my name were ‘medium pace’ should go to ‘fast’.

“Today as a fast bowler, you turn up and you see a nice wicket like that, it gets you vibes, the energy to bowl fast so I am happy for the spell I bowled today, getting two important wickets, setting the tone for Oshane Thomas to do what he has done.

“Actually I am annoyed. Whoever is responsible for the stats, they should change that medium thing to fast. At the end of the day, when I was just starting playing, I [admit] I was bowling 80, just over 80mph, now I get older, I get stronger, I am bowling faster and more consistent.

“When you turn up and it’s a slower wicket, you have to ease into it and take your time, you can’t fight the pitches. But when you turn up and see a wicket like this, as a fast bowler, you lick your lips.”

Russell played just one ODI in between 2015 and his selection for this World Cup, due to a combination of injury issues and a 12-month doping whereabouts suspension. But he adds a new dimension to this West Indies side.

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Today Russell delivered a short impact spell of 3-1-4-2, and was not needed again as Pakistan capitulated in 21.4 overs. Russell then limped off with an ankle problem, though he suggested that it was a precaution and he could have come back on to bowl in different circumstances.

“It takes a lot of energy. You have to be strong, honestly. I remember, when I came off the field, one of my team-mates asked me if I how I was feeling after I bowled the sixth short ball in the over. I said to him, ‘well I feel tired but I know I only have three overs’.

“So once I leave everything on the park for that three overs, go and cool down and come back for another three overs again, that’s my job, Three-over bursts, two-over bursts for the captain, for the team. I’m just doing my part. Short balls was just a strategy, to bowl dot balls, building pressure, I didn’t mind the crowd booing.

“I have been struggling with my knee the last couple of months so seeing the position we were in, nine wickets down, and run to retrieve a ball and feel a little thing, so I just went off to get some treatment.

“I’m not worried. We have six days before the next game so I am definitely going to do some work on it. I will be fully fit for the next game.”

Russell says he will not change his approach for when West Indies reconvene at Trent Bridge to play Australia, one of the favourites to make the semi-finals.

“I don’t think it changes much. Even though you can have a good puller, a lot of times they get out to short balls because it all depends on the pace, the line of the ball, and they can get their timing wrong.

“That can create a simple mistake and you can get them caught at fine leg or on the boundary and that’s game over for that batter.

“I’m going to keep bowling aggressive but be smart about it. Australia, these guys are used to fast-bowling, but once you bowl aggressive at them, anything can happen.

“I think there are certain areas we need to tighten up on, to show what we can do with the ball and what we can do with the bat. From the warm-up games into this I think we’ve been ticking some boxes, but we always some room for improvement. I think once we bowl stay aggressive, but bowl a bit closer to the batters, not giving them that wide ball to cut and free their arms, then we’ll be in business.

“We’ve all been watching one-day cricket and teams scoring 350 so comfortably. We have a team on our good days to score 350 or 400. We are going to have bad days. We can definitely get big scores on the board.”

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