England’s T20 series against Australia came to a soggy end at Emirates Old Trafford, with rain ruining the decider after one win apiece.
Here, PA looks at where England’s white-ball setup stands heading into the five-match ODI series.
How good is a 1-1 scoreline?
While all concerned would have preferred to settle things in Manchester, England cannot be unhappy with a share of the spoils against the world champions. They came in with a caretaker head coach in Marcus Trescothick and a stand-in captain in Phil Salt, not to mention a revamped playing squad. It would have been easy to fold after defeat in Southampton but facing an even bigger chase in Cardiff, they showed their mettle.
Who were the star performers?
Liam Livingstone was a deserved player of the series, scoring more runs than anyone else, turning in a decisive knock in the second game and collecting five wickets with his mix-and-match spinners. Having been dropped from the ODI squad his international future was starting to come into question so this was the perfect response. Jacob Bethell, 20, also showed why he is one of the most highly-rated prospects in the country with his takedown of Adam Zampa at Sophia Gardens. It is still early for the Barbados-born all-rounder, but the investment looks a sound one.
How is Jofra Archer’s comeback going?
After multiple setbacks over several years, Archer’s latest comeback is being handled with the utmost care. England are hoping to use him at key moments, with a view to playing a role in next winter’s Ashes tour Down Under, and are managing his workload meticulously. That meant he was rested for the must-win game in Cardiff despite sending down only 21 balls in the series opener. England fans will need to be patient, with Trescothick confirming kid gloves would also be applied to the seamer during the forthcoming ODIs.
Where does Sam Curran fit in?
The all-rounder has struggled to nail down a role since the career high of being named as player of the tournament in England’s T20 World Cup win in 2022, with diminishing returns at the next two global tournaments. He revived his reputation by stepping up as Oval Invincibles’ clutch player in their Hundred success this summer but struggled to land a blow on Australia. His five overs went for 14.40 each and scores of 12 and six were disappointing. The 26-year-old is not part of the ODI squad and is in danger of being left behind.
How different will the 50-over series be?
With Jos Buttler’s calf injury still a problem, England will be unveiling Harry Brook as their third new captain of the summer. His experience in List A cricket is limited but he has the skills to dominate the format. Watching him leave his mark on the side should be an exciting ride. The squad is also boosted by the return of other Test players in the shape of Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson and Matthew Potts. None of those players are established in the limited-overs teams but have big roles to play in the years ahead. The stakes are always high when Australia are in town, but there are opportunities to set a new pecking order after this summer’s selection shake-up. Bethell, John Turner and Jordan Cox await their ODI debuts.
Who keeps wicket?
Buttler has indicated he is ready to give up the gloves in a bid to reinvigorate his captaincy and allow him to get closer to his bowlers in the field. Salt took the job in the recent T20 series but England have decided to back new Test wicketkeeper Smith this time. Smith has had to spend much of his county career as understudy to Ben Foakes but has looked impressive in the red-ball arena and has been granted another opportunity to grow into the position.