England set to recall fit-again Wood for their ‘mini World Cup’

England will today reveal their hand for the business part of the summer when they name arguably the best and most attacking squad they will ever have fielded in a 50-over global tournament. Selector James Whitaker will name a 15man party for June’s Champions Trophy that reflects director of cricket andrew Strauss’s desire for the white-ball game to be taken as seriously as Test matches. There will be no surprises or room for experimenting as England go all out to win a ‘mini World Cup’. They will start among the favourites after a dramatic limited-overs improvement since the last world tournament debacle. England have never won a world 50-over event but the Champions Trophy and World Cup in 2019, also in England, provide two golden opportunities. The only real area for debate among the selectors, in a squad that will also take on South africa in a three-match series ahead of the trophy, has been over who should join Ben Stokes (below) and Chris Woakes in the fast bowling department. liam Plunkett is expected to be fit despite missing Yorkshire’s first three matches of the season while Mark Wood is set to be included after his recovery from his latest ankle operation. That leaves Steven Finn and Jake Ball competing for one place unless England leave out their third spinner — all-rounder liam dawson — or a spare batter such as Jonny Bairstow or Sam Billings. Bairstow and Billings should get their chance in two matches against Ireland, on Friday week and two days later, with Whitaker expected to name a 14-man squad today as well. Three of England’s key men — Stokes, Woakes and Jos Buttler — have been allowed, somewhat controversially, to remain in the Indian Premier league for Ireland’s first full games in England. Stokes was in fine form for Rising Pune Supergiant yesterday, taking two wickets for 21 — including that of Buttler for Mumbai Indians — in a man-of-the-match performance. The selectors are reluctant to bring in too many players who will not feature in June. lancashire’s liam livingstone — fresh from his 168 against Somerset — is among the prospects to miss out, with dawson and Tom Curran likely to fill in.

CHAMPIONS TROPHY SQUAD (probable): Morgan (capt), Hales, Roy, Root, Buttler (wkt), Stokes, Moeen, Woakes, Plunkett, Rashid, Finn, Wood, Bairstow, Billings, Ball.