Roy Wants Batting Records to Act as 'Stepping Stones' to World Cup Glory

AFP | Updated: June 23, 2018, 1:39 PM IST

Jason Roy celebrates after scoring a hundred. (ICC)

England opener Jason Roy is proud of the batting records the team 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 can 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 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 481 for six 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," he added.