On Duckett, who stitched England’s innings together but only found genuine support from Joe Root’s 68, Buttler said: “There won’t be too many times you score 165 and end up on the losing side.
Jos Buttler did his best to offer an upbeat appraisal of England’s record-breaking defeat by Australia in their Champions Trophy opener, insisting belief in the squad remains strong despite being left with no more breathing room in the tournament.
He also tipped Ben Duckett, 165 from 143 balls in a total of 351 for eight, to become the first Englishman to score a double-century in ODI cricket.
Asked whether, after a ninth defeat in their last 12 ODIs, England were struggling to remember how to win, Buttler replied: “The longer it goes on, the closer you get to winning.
Powerless to prevent Josh Inglis’s unbeaten 86-ball 120 from reeling in a target of 352 – the highest successful run chase in a men’s ICC event – Buttler credited his opponents in the main.
