It’s business as usual for England as Dawson exits
England will return to a familiar team shape in the third one-day international against Sri Lanka today, adding an extra pace bowler in place of the departed Liam Dawson.
The tourists made the rare decision to field three specialist spinners in both matches last week, but the chief beneficiary of that tactical switch, slow leftarmer Dawson, is on the way home after suffering a side strain.
His replacement Joe Denly, recalled to the 50-over side after a nine-year absence, will not join his team-mates until a matter of hours before the scheduled start time and neither he, nor the freshly-married and newly-arrived Liam Plunkett, will be considered for selection.
Instead, Tom Curran looks set to feature ahead of Mark Wood, the pair having been ousted in the seam ranks by newcomer Olly Stone in Dambulla, while the younger Curran brother, Sam, is also on hand to offer left-arm swing.
With just eight more ODIS before the provisional15-manworldcupsquad is named, and competition hotting up, Woods’ likely omission nudges him back in the pecking order.
Wood is quicker and more experienced, but Curran senior has the subtlety and variation which might allow him to thrive in sub-continental conditions.
Meanwhile, in Abu Dhabi, Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed and opener Fakhar Zamanboth hit 94 to help the hosts recover on the first day of the second Test against Australia.
Australia spinner Nathan Lyon had rocked Pakistan during the morning session, however, the pair were able to push the score past 200.