Nearly nine years on from his solitary Test cap in Sydney comes an England recall for Mason Crane. The leg-spinner has been named in England’s squad for the one-day international tri-series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. England will fly to Islamabad on 15 October for a round-robin mini-tournament that serves as preparation for next year’s 50-over World Cup. The three teams play each other twice in the group stage, before the top two meet for the final at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on 31 October.
Jos Buttler will miss the trip due to his recent hamstring tear and Jofra Archer is being rested at the start of a busy winter. But there are returns for Adil Rashid and Sam Curran after injury and a spot for James Coles, while the most eye-catching move is Crane usurping Rehan Ahmed as the back-up wrist-spinner.
Ahmed struggled during the recent 2-1 victory over Sri Lanka and the all-rounder was dropped for the decider. Though primarily a bowler – and one who has matured in recent seasons – Crane has added a second string to his bow this summer, scoring two first-class centuries to go with 51 wickets in all formats.
Marcus North, England men’s national selector, said: “Mason Crane has been performing consistently for Glamorgan across both formats during the summer. He’s an experienced, high-class leg-spinner who thoroughly deserves another opportunity at international level.”
Jordan Cox is expected to keep wicket in Buttler’s absence, while no Archer brings in the uncapped Henry Crocombe after impressing for Sussex before his winter move to Surrey. It also means the 23-year-old Sonny Baker is likely to take the new ball, having claimed his maiden ODI wicket at the Oval last week.
Now a three-format England cricketer after his Test debut in June, and voted the Professional Cricketers’ Association’s young player of the year by his peers, Baker is hoping a tour of Pakistan will deepen his understanding of reverse swing in the art-form’s spiritual home.
“One of the biggest things I’m trying to do for the rest of my career is to break it down into segments,” said Baker at the PCA Awards in association with Toyota. “During this next period of time, what am I focusing on? What am I trying to get out of it?
“In Pakistan it would be reverse-swing, trying to bang my yorkers, and learn about executing skills in those conditions. Pakistan is not somewhere I’ve been before. I’m really looking forward to that – particularly reverse swing, I think it caters to my action quite nicely.”
Quick GuideEngland drawn with South Africa and New Zealand at men’s World Cup
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England have been drawn with co-hosts South Africa and New Zealand at the men’s World Cup next year, avoiding both defending champions Australia and India.
Harry Brook’s side will be looking to maintain momentum from their recent 50-over successes heading into the tournament, which begins at the start of October 2027.
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are also in Group B, with the final spot set for one of the teams which comes through the round-robin Super Series which is being held in Windhoek, Namibia ahead of the main tournament.
England, who won the World Cup on home soil in 2019, will open their campaign against Bangladesh in Windhoek on 8 October, with a showdown against South Africa set for St George’s Park in Gqeberha on 16 October.
The match against the qualifier will be held in Harare, Zimbabwe four days later ahead of the final Group B match against New Zealand back at St George’s Park on 23 October.
In Group A, India and Australia will also take on Pakistan, Afghanistan, co-hosts Zimbabwe and a qualifier.
India, runners-up in 2023, and Pakistan will play in Johannesburg on 10 October.
The top three teams in each group will progress to the Super Seven stage, along with the best fourth-placed nation.
The best four sides will then go on to the semi-finals, which will both be hosted in South Africa, with the final set for Johannesburg on 21 November. PA
Reverse is certainly coming back into ODI cricket after the recent tweak to the regulations as the innings start with two new Kookaburra balls, before going down to one of them for the final 16 overs. Power-hitting at the death has become trickier, as evidenced during England’s defeat by Sri Lanka at Headingley last week.
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While conditions in Rawalpindi and Lahore will differ to those at the World Cup in southern Africa next year, this short two-week tour that starts against Pakistan on 20 October should have plenty of benefits for England, be it transferable skills or the added pressure of a final should they get there.
David Saker will return as a bowling coach, likewise Carl Hopkinson running the fielding drills, with Brendon McCullum taking a pared-back support staff that also features the assistant Jeetan Patel and the Under-19s coach, Michael Yardy.
England ODI squad: Brook (Yorkshire, capt), Atkinson (Surrey), Baker (Hampshire), Banton (Somerset), Coles (Sussex), Cox (Essex), Crane (Glamorgan), Crocombe (Sussex), S Curran (Surrey), Dawson (Hampshire), Duckett (Nottinghamshire), Jacks (Surrey), J Overton (Surrey), Rashid (Yorkshire), Root (Yorkshire), Tongue (Nottinghamshire).
Source: www.theguardian.com
