Two new faces named in T20 squad for Barbados
UNCAPPED left-armers George Garton and David Payne have been included in a 16-strong squad for England’s five-match Twenty20 series against the West Indies in Barbados next month.
With the fifth Ashes Test set to finish in Hobart just four days before the first T20 in the Caribbean on January 22, no England player currently attempting to regain the urn in Australia has been considered for selection.
White-ball captain Eoin Morgan will therefore be without the likes of Durham stars Ben Stokes and Mark Wood plus Jos Buttler, Jonny
Bairstow, Dawid Malan and Chris Woakes as England look ahead to the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.
Former Durham all-rounder Paul Collingwood, who skippered England to their first-ever global trophy at the 2010 World Twenty20, deputises for Chris Silverwood as head coach for the series while Marcus Trescothick is assistant.
Collingwood said: “We have selected a strong squad with some serious batting power and a balanced attack as we begin preparations ahead of the T20 World Cup in Australia.
“The World Cup is less than a year away and there will be increased opportunities for the squad in the absence of those players who are with the Ashes squad.
“I have good memories winning a World Cup in Barbados and I’m really looking forward to going back there with this squad to face a very good West Indies who will test all aspects of our skills.”
David Willey and highly-rated leg-spinner Matt Parkinson have missed out on call-ups, however. ENGLAND SQUAD TO FACE THE WEST INDIES IN FIVE T20S FROM JANUARY 22-30: E Morgan (captain), M Ali, T Banton, S Billings, L Dawson, G Garton, C Jordan, L Livingstone, S Mahmood, T Mills, D Payne, A Rashid, J Roy, P Salt, R Topley, J Vince.