'Records are just the stepping stones to the World Cup' – Jason Roy

England have been in phenomenal form in getting to 4-0 in the five-match one-day international series against Australia. They have played like the No.1 ODI side, their 481/6 in the third match was the highest total in a men’s ODI, and their batsmen have four hundreds and seven fifties between them.

The records are a satisfying reward for the hard work the team put it, but also just “stepping stones” to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 at home, Jason Roy has said.

“Our main aim is to just make sure that these are just stepping stones to the bigger picture, being the World Cup,” said the England opener ahead of the final ODI on Sunday, 24 June. “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 so we can get some good wins under our belts."

Roy has been in the middle of it all for England, notching up two hundreds in the series and making for a formidable opening pair with Jonny Bairstow. It’s been a remarkable turnaround for him since a run of poor form saw him dropped for the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 semi-final at home.

Being dropped was “heartbreaking”, but he’d put in the hard work to come back. Since then, he’s struck three hundreds and three fifties in 16 innings at an average of 55.06. This includes England’s highest individual score of 180 against Australia in the beginning of the year.

“[It’s] probably the best head space I've been in, knowing my role in the team, knowing my training and knowing my technique and trusting myself,” he said.

“[I haven’t changed anything but] I just kind of force myself to be a bit more comfortable at the crease, a bit more organised. Trying to pace an innings and recognise we've got a lot of time to bat.

"It’s a relatively simple game. You work hard, you train hard and you get some good results and I'm happy that the results have come my way now.”

Roy, Jonny Bairstow and Alex Hales have set the tone for England at the top, giving the management no easy options in terms of selections and opening combinations.

Bairstow, handed a chance to open in that Champions Trophy match once Roy was dropped, has struck six hundreds since then, making that position all his and linking up well with Roy on his return.

"Jonny strikes the ball incredibly cleanly,” said Roy, hailing his team-mate, “and he just seems to be in an amazing purple patch which is great for him and the team.

"We're getting off to such good starts and when you're chasing totals like 310 it makes it easier for the guys coming in. We kind of spur each other on.

"We know our games pretty well and we know each other's games pretty well. If he doesn't want to take risks against one bowler I might want to take risks against them. We're working well together as a pair."

England will look to their openers again to deliver them a 5-0 sweep. And Roy for one, isn’t surprised at how far the team has come. “We have put in a lot of hard work and deserve the results we are getting.”