Stokes steps in to lead new ODI side against Pakistan
England's entire one-day squad has been forced into isolation by a Covid-19 outbreak ahead of the Pakistan series, with the returning Ben Stokes named captain of a brand new group featuring nine uncapped players.
The England party underwent scheduled PCR tests in Bristol on Monday, following their washed out ODI against Sri Lanka, and were rocked by the news that three players and four members of the backroom team had returned positive results.
The remainder of the group were identified as close contacts, forcing all parties into a period of isolation from July 4, inline with public health guidelines.
While most of those with the virus are said to be feeling fine, the England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed at least one individual was experiencing symptoms. Every member of the party has had at least one vaccination.
An unprecedented development such as this, coming little more than 48 hours before the first match in cardiff tomorrow, could easily have led to an abandoned series, but the ECB moved quickly to ensure the fixtures go ahead.
Stokes was recalled as captain, having originally been left out to continue his recovery from a finger operation with durham, and head coach Chris Silverwood cut short a family break having previously delegated the next three matches to assistant Paul col ling wood. those plans, along with so many others, lie in tatters.
Together, Stokes and Silverwood will lead a mix-andmatch group of players and staff, pieced together at short notice and containing a mixture of Test specialists, recalls and a smattering of domestic professionals.
The ongoing round of LV= County championship fixtures was beset by withdrawals as a result, with players pulled from duty in live games and replaced by deputies.
Zak Crawley and Dan Lawrence, hitherto selected as redball specialists by England, have been handed their first opportunities in limited-overs cricket cricket and are joined by Du rh am' sBry don Car se, Middlesexpair tom helm and john Simpson, Surrey's Will Jacks, Gloucestershire' s david pay ne, Somerset's Lewis Gregory and Phil Salt of Sussex.
Returning to the fold after absences of varying lengths are Craig Overton, Danny Briggs, Jake Ball, Ben Duckett, Saqib Mahmood, Matt Parkinson and james vince.dawidm alan, who pulled out of the Sri Lanka series in question due to personal reasons, is also back.
With 10 World Cup Super League points on offer in each match, this series is no dead rubber, and a strong Pakistan side will offer a serious test.
Ashley Giles, ECB managing director of men's cricket, said: "It's a great opportunity to play on the biggest stage, and for most of the players selected it's not necessarily something they would have been expecting 24 hours ago.
"It's an exciting group of players, with some young talent and some players who have impressed at domestic level over a long period of time. We're in unprecedented territory, in terms of replacing an entire squad and management team, and i' m very proud of how everyone has come together to get it done - both those within the ECB and from the county game."