England have finalised their 15-man Cricket World Cup squad after dropping Jason Roy from the provisional list in favour of Harry Brook.
Here, the PA news agency looks at how the decision was reached and what it means.
How big of a surprise is Roy’s omission?
Roy has been a mainstay of the team for the past eight years and forged one of the most productive opening partnerships in history alongside Jonny Bairstow. Just a few months ago, travelling to India without him would have looked a fanciful notion, but things have changed quickly.
His form over the last four-year cycle has been patchy – well below what came before – and when back spasms saw him ruled out of the recent series against New Zealand, question over the opener’s place got louder and louder by the day.
So was it an issue of form or fitness?
Surely both. Had Roy been in peak condition he would have faced the Black Caps and been in control of his own destiny.
The back spasms, which came in two separate bursts, were a concern on the eve of the tournament that will test the durability of players over seven weeks. But England are not hiding behind that issue and the selectors were also mindful that Roy was no longer undroppable.
His influence has been on the slide for a while and he was also axed from the T20 squad just before last year’s World Cup. In summary, Brook was backed as a superior option.
Is this the end of his international career?
It would not be a surprise if Roy has played his last England match.
A wider changing of the guard is expected once the tournament is completed and with Roy already losing his place in the T20 team last year, he could have reached the end of the road.
Earlier this year he cancelled the remainder of his ECB central contract to take up a deal in the United States’ Major League Cricket and, at 33, life as a hired hand on the franchise circuit may appeal.
What about the reserve list?
England will have the chance to take three additional squad members as travelling cover, but it could be too much to expect Roy to fill that role in the circumstances.
Instead, they may look to the second string who start an ODI series against Ireland on Wednesday. That brings the likes of Ben Duckett, Phil Salt and Will Jacks into consideration, with the latter’s spin bowling an interesting factor.
Who made the decision?
Head coach Matthew Mott and captain Jos Buttler both have a key say in the team they lead, with the influential director of cricket Rob Key and national selector Luke Wright also involved. None were in post when a similar move was made in 2019 to bring Jofra Archer in at David Willey’s expense.
How did Brook make his case?
On the face of it, the Yorkshireman put in a modest audition during three innings in the recent New Zealand series, totalling just 37 runs. But he has had an exceptional start to his international career, including some eye-catching efforts in this summer’s Ashes.
His immediate reaction to being left out of the provisional squad – a blistering century in The Hundred, followed by rapid knocks of 43 not out and 67 in T20s against the Black Caps, was exactly the response required to inspire a U-turn.
Will he come straight into the team?
Dawid Malan is inked in to open with Bairstow after a prolific spell standing in for Roy. He goes about his business in a different way to Roy, a slower starter but a more consistent scorer, but has thoroughly earned his chance.
Brook will likely start the tournament as the spare batter but has the versatility to cover any of the top six. At some point during a seven-week competition, he should get his opportunity.
Brandon King named captain as West Indies squad named for three-match T20I series against South Africa
Brandon King has been appointed captain of the West Indies squad named to face South Africa in the upcoming three T20 International series at Sabina Park in Kingston starting Thursday, May 23. The squad has been gearing up for this exciting and highly anticipated series with a training camp held at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua. The selection panel has confirmed that Brandon King will have Roston Chase as his vice captain. Both appointments are on an interim basis.
King was set to lead the West Indies A-Team on the recently concluded T20 tour to Nepal before he was withdrawn due to injury. Chase, appointed instead, went on to lead the A-Team to a series win against Nepal.
The West Indies Men’s squad for the series is as follows: Brandon King (Captain), Roston Chase (Vice-Captain), Fabian Allen, Alick Athanaze, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Matthew Forde, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Obed McCoy, Gudakesh Motie, Romario Shepherd and Hayden Walsh Jr.
Alzarri Joseph and Sherfane Rutherford will be added to the squad if their respective franchises do not reach the Indian Premier League (IPL) Final. Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran are both rested for the series and will join the squad in Trinidad on Monday, 27 May.
“These are among the last competitive T20 International matches before the start of the World Cup,” said lead selector Desmond Haynes. “Players have the opportunity to fine-tune their skills and ensure they are as prepared as they can be for the World Cup, whether they are in the final squad or reserve pool.”
White Ball Head Coach Daren Sammy also commented on his objectives for this series stating, “We have not played together as a team since the Australia series, but we just completed a very high-intensity training camp in Antigua. Now we have the chance to integrate some of our players returning from the IPL and build some momentum as a group going into the World Cup.”
Tickets for the T20I Series against South Africa at Sabina Park, Jamaica are available now to buy online from the Windies Tickets service, at WINDIES TICKET PORTAL. Fans who purchase online will benefit from a 20 per cent discount compared to the box office prices, with tickets ranging from the most premium seats with the best-shaded views in the stadium through to affordable standard seats or mounds/grounds entry.
Match schedule:
- 23 May 1st T20I West Indies v South Africa at Sabina Park, Jamaica 2:00 pm JT/3:00 pm ECT
- 25 May 2nd T20I West Indies v South Africa at Sabina Park, Jamaica 2:00 pm JT/3:00 pm ECT
- 26 May 3rd T20I West Indies v South Africa at Sabina Park, Jamaica 2:00 pm JT/3:00 pm ECT
West Indies won the last T20 International played at Sabina Park against New Zealand in August 2022, which was the last time international cricket was played at this historic venue.
IPL: Royals miss top-two chance after washout against leaders KKR
Rajasthan Royals were denied their shot at a top-two Indian Premier League finish after rain saw a clash with Kolkata Knight Riders abandoned without a ball bowled on Sunday.
The Royals finished third in the group stage of this year's IPL after four straight losses preceded the washout in Guwahati.
In-form Royal Challengers Bengaluru awaits in the Eliminator for Rajasthan on May 22, with the former on a six-match winning streak to reach the playoffs.
Pat Cummins' Sunrisers Hyderabad will face leaders Kolkata, whose last two games have been abandoned, in the first qualifier in Ahmedabad the day before.
IPL: Sunrisers cruise to victory to boost second-place hopes
Sunrisers Hyderabad eased to a four-wicket win over Punjab Kings on Sunday to boost their chances of finishing second in the Indian Premier League.
Prabhsimran Singh helped Punjab set a target of 215, but Hyderabad chased that down with relative ease to go second, a position they will finish in should Rajasthan Royals lose to the table-topping Kolkata Knight Riders later on Sunday.
After the Sunrisers won the toss and put Punjab in to bat, Prabhsimran top scored with 71 runs from 45 deliveries, while Atharva Taide (46 off 27) and Rilee Roussouw (49 from 24) also impressed as the Kings, already out of playoff contention, finished on 214/5.
Hyderabad's chase got off to a terrible start as Travis Head was bowled with the first ball of the innings, but the Sunrisers' other opener Abhishek Sharma helped to steady the ship alongside Rahul Tripathi.
Abhishek smashed his way to 66 off 28 deliveries before he was dismissed, while an important innings from Heinrich Klaasen (42 from 26) set the Sunrisers up for victory.
Abdul Samad and Sanvir Singh finished the job as the Sunrisers reached their target with five balls to spare, and they can now look ahead to their playoff campaign.
Data debrief: Abhishek wastes no time
The Sunrisers overcame Head's second IPL golden duck thanks to a brilliant innings from Abhishek, who reached his half-century in just 21 balls and finished with a strike rate of 235.71.
Tripathi and Klaasen achieved strike rates of 183.33 and 161.53 respectively, while Nitish Kumar Reddy also finished with 37 from 25 deliveries as Hyderabad made light work of a daunting target.
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