There’s no Ashes rest for England’s big guns
ENGLAND have resisted the temptation to rest any of their major players from this month’s Royal London ODI series – but Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali do get a one-match Twenty20 break.
In two 14-man squads announced last night for the one-off NatWest T20 against West Indies at Chester-le-Street on September 16 and then five ODIs, the selectors have sprung few surprises. Moeen and Stokes, like several others in both squads expected to figure heavily in next winter’s Ashes, have been prescribed a short rest towards the end of a summer containing seven Tests and a Champions Trophy campaign.
The most notable omission from both lists is fast bowler Mark Wood, a central figure in the Champions Trophy but who has since suffered with a heel injury which interrupted his Test summer and has kept him out of action since mid-July.
Surrey seamer Tom Curran is named in both squads and therefore has a chance to add an ODI debut to his two T20 caps to date.
Fit-again Chris Woakes is back for the ODIs – with his fellow seamer Jake Ball in both squads – but Steven Finn misses out.
Among the spinners, England have kept faith with Adil Rashid in both formats – and in Moeen’s T20 absence, he is accompanied by slow left-arm all-rounder Liam Dawson in Eoin Morgan’s team.
There is no ODI place yet for Dawid Malan, who impressed with a half-century on his T20 debut against South Africa this summer and has gone on to feature in England’s last four Tests.
It was anticipated at one stage earlier this year that England might leave out some of their Test regulars for the limited-overs matches against West Indies, to ensure they are fresh for the start of the Ashes tour.
Since then, the Windies have surprised everyone by battling back to level a three-match Test series and make this week’s final match at Lord’s a decider.