Time for England to lift performance: Buttler

Melbourne, Feb 9 (IANS) Young batsman Jos Buttler Monday said his might be a new generation of English cricketers who are "exciting", but they need match-winning performances now rather than hopeful talk of what the future might hold.

Experienced players such as Alastair Cook, Graeme Swann, Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen have all departed, and although there is genuine excitement about the new generation, they face the prospect of being taught a cricketing lesson Down Under.

"It is a much younger but probably more inexperienced and exciting side. 'Exciting' and 'development' are great words but now we know we have to perform," the 24-year-old was quoted as saying by espncricinfo.com. 

"That doesn't really wash any more. It is about being in a tournament, winning games of cricket, getting to a quarter-final and then getting as far as we can."

The right-handed batsman wants to be consistent, and more importantly, wants to deliver for his country at the sport's biggest event.

"I want to be a consistent performer, not somebody who could be a good player for England. It's great to have potential, it's great to have talent but there comes a stage where you want so be someone where media and commentators talk about you being a performer for England. That's the stage you have got to get to," he said.

"Someone like Virat Kohli has played a lot more games but he is only 26 and he performs on a stage which is the world's best, so age is irrelevant, it is about performance. Kohli is not the finished article but he performs at a level which is what everyone aspires to get to as fast as they can."