Monday, December 23, 2024

England v Australia: Jofra Archer to play first ODI since March 2023

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Archer remains one of the last remaining links to the World Cup-winning squad of five years ago, with Adil Rashid the only other survivor in the 16-man group to face current world champions Australia.

Injury has ruled out captain Jos Buttler and seamer Mark Wood, while Joe Root has been rested. All of them would add to the 2019 contingent but, there is undoubtedly a fresh feel to this England squad.

A miserable defence of their 50-over title in India in 2023 felt like one tournament too many for England’s first great white-ball side and, although Test coach Brendon McCullum doesn’t begin his limited-overs duties until January, there is a sense the new era starts here.

McCullum led the revolution of the Test team, alongside Ben Stokes, and given the attacking brand of cricket played by the white-ball side when they were at their best under former captain Eoin Morgan, an overlap in the approaches is inevitable.

“I think it’s all going to merge into one at some point,” said Brook, who will lead England for the first time in this series.

“It’s all going to be played fairly similar. We’re going to have the same principles or however we want to go about playing the game, trying to put that forward to the team already before Baz takes over.

“[Interim head coach Marcus Trescothick] has been around the Test team anyway since Baz took over, he knows inside out how Baz works and how he wants the team to operate.”

For those remaining from the years under Morgan and Trevor Bayliss then, it may be more of a refresher course than a revolution.

But they are very much in the minority with Reece Topley’s 29 ODI caps the second most, after Rashid’s 135, in the England squad.

Jordan Cox and Jacob Bethell only made their international debuts in the recent T20 series and seamer John Turner is still waiting for his first cap.

This is an England squad with much to prove and with the Champions Trophy in February fast approaching, there is little by way of an adjustment period.

Much like with the Test side’s revival, though, the key message to the players is a simple one.

“We want to go out there and be entertaining, entertain the crowd, take the game on, try to take wickets and put the pressure on their bowlers,” Brook added.

Of course, putting that into practice against an experienced Australia side, who have won their last 12 ODIs, is rather less simple.

Key to that run has been leg-spinner Adam Zampa, who will play in his 100th ODI at Trent Bridge.

The 32-year-old has taken 169 ODI wickets at an average of 28, with his wickets-per-match ratio of 1.7 better than that of Shane Warne (1.5).

“He’s certainly tracking towards being one of our greatest ever ODI players,” said Mitch Marsh, who will captain Australia in Pat Cummins’ absence.

“I feel very lucky to have him in this team. There is no hiding behind the fact that he’s one of our go-to men with the ball over a 50-over period.

“That’s one of the challenges that he’s taken in his stride, being that person for us, and he thrives in the bigger moments, which is what all great players do.”

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