Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Will Macpherson

England ODI squad: David Payne and Luke Wood called up for debuts as England stick with settled side

England have resisted the temptation to substantially experiment in their first white-ball squad under new coach Matthew Mott, with left-arm seamers David Payne and Luke Wood the only uncapped players included.

Eoin Morgan, who has a groin issue, has been passed fit to lead a 14-man squad to the Netherlands next month, between the Second and Third Tests against New Zealand, meaning Ben Stokes, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow are unavailable.

There are also a number of bowlers out injured, such as Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, but Sam Curran is available once more having recovered sufficiently from his back stress fracture.

The batting is settled, meaning there is no place for Joe Clarke, the Nottinghamshire batter who had been thought to be in contention for a maiden call-up.

Clarke was name-checked by Rob Key, the new managing director, when appointed last month, but would be a highly controversial selection given his involvement in a vulgar WhatsApp group recording sexual conquests that was revealed in court when his former Worcestershire team-mate Alex Hepburn was jailed for rape in 2019.

In an interview with the Telegraph, last week Clarke expressed his “embarrassment and shame” over the matter but, given there is no place in the squad for James Vince, Sam Billings, Tom Banton or Ben Duckett, all of whom are capped, Clarke would appear some way off a call-up on a purely cricketing level, even before his wider eligibility is made clear.

The batting has a familiar feel, with Phil Salt taking Bairstow’s place alongside Jason Roy at the top of the order, while Dawid Malan will bat No3 and Liam Livingstone will take a spot in the middle order. Regulars Morgan, Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali will make up the batting, before Curran offers an all-round option.

With Lancashire’s Wood called up for the first time and Payne searching for a debut having been in previous squads, there are five left-arm seamers in the squad (Curran, David Willey and Reece Topley are the others).

Also named is Brydon Carse, but there is no place for Matt Parkinson, with Adil Rashid the sole wrist-spinner.

"I'm very excited to be coaching a strong squad for my first series in charge,” said Mott. “We have tremendous depth with a blend of youth and experience. We want to continue to play in an expressive style and let our players showcase their skills and firepower.

"Luke Wood deserves his call-up. He has been consistent for Lancashire over the past 12 months and we have been monitoring his progression. If given a chance to play, I'm sure he will make most of his opportunity.

"This is a historic occasion for the sport and the first time England Men have played the Netherlands in an ODI series. We can't wait to head over to Amsterdam and put on a show for the thousands of fans travelling to support the team.

"The ODI side has had limited opportunities and last played in July. However, with about 18 months to the next ICC 50-over World Cup in India, our preparation will start ramping up with nine matches over the summer and a busy winter ahead against strong opponents."

Full England squad:

Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Brydon Carse (Durham), Sam Curran (Surrey), Liam Livingstone (Lancashire), Dawid Malan (Yorkshire), David Payne (Gloucestershire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Phil Salt (Lancashire), Reece Topley (Surrey), David Willey (Yorkshire), Luke Wood (Lancashire)

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.