England selectors stick rather than twist for Champions Trophy challenge | Vic Marks

Apr 25, 2017

Unlike before the disastrous 2015 World Cup, the selectors are keeping to their long-term plans which means no place for Stuart Broad or Lancashire’s exciting Liam Livingstone

The England one-day squads announced by the national selector, James Whitaker, at Edgbaston took no one by surprise, which is probably a good thing. Just before the 2015 World Cup this same group of selectors jettisoned their captain, Alastair Cook, leaving Eoin Morgan in a particularly nasty lurch and then summoned up Gary Ballance as a potential No3. Whereupon England performed as tepidly as a cup of tea that had been ignored for 20 minutes before slinking home in disgrace, without even reaching the quarter-finals.

This time they are sticking solidly to plan A. Morgan is no longer in any sort of lurch and has helped to shape a much more dynamic team. The overhaul was completed in good time so there are only six players in the Champions Trophy squad who endured England’s World Cup campaign in Australasia in 2015 – Morgan, Moeen Ali, Jos Buttler, Alex Hales, Joe Root and Chris Woakes.

Tags: Cricket England cricket team ICC Champions Trophy Sport