SM
Real Sociedad vs. Real Madrid: 10 hrs 23 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews

5 talking points ahead of England's Twenty20 series

:Headline: 5 talking points ahead of England's Twenty20 series: ID:352308: from db_amp
England and the West Indies drew 2-2 in their recently-completed one-day international series.

England begin the final leg of their winter travels, a three-match T20 series against the West Indies, in St Lucia on Tuesday.

Here, Press Association Sport looks at the key issues.

All change for England

The selectors have chosen to rest key men Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali ahead of their imminent Indian Premier League stints, while opener Jason Roy has been allowed to return home for the birth of his first child. That means a great chunk of their first-choice XI will be absent, changing the dynamic of the side considerably. How England manage without so many of their bankers may say a lot about the depth of their resources.

Root's showcase

England will be looking to Joe Root to impress in the absence of several star batsmenĀ  (Martin Rickett/PA)

Joe Root was another player considered for rotation as England look to manage their prize asset's workload in a busy year. But he has been vocal in his frustration at missing T20 games in the past and lobbied to be involved. Root does not want to be left behind in the sprint format and is eager to show his less explosive, more methodical style can still be a match-winning one.

Broadcast blackout

Television viewers in Britain may not be able to watch the final two T20Is between England and West Indies live (Andrew Matthews/PA) Andrew Matthews

As it stands no arrangements are in place for the final two matches of the series to be shown on British television. The length of the tour was extended after an initial deal was agreed with Sky and the two parties have yet to come to an agreement on an additional fee. Negotiations will continue but with a matter of days to go there is a possibility fans back home will not be able to watch live.

World Cup warm-up

Head coach Trevor Bayliss has admitted these matches will be used to help finalise thoughts for the 50-over World Cup, meaning the likes of Tom Curran, David Willey and Joe Denly should all get a good run. They were peripheral figures in the ODI contests, Curran playing a minor role while Willey and Denly went unused, and must now use the next week to prove their white-ball skills. With Jofra Archer looming, one of the trio could be edged out of the squad.

Watching out for Wood

Mark Wood has been one of the stars of England's tour to the West Indies (Ricardo Mazalan/AP)

The biggest winner of England's Caribbean trip has undoubtedly been paceman Mark Wood. He breathed new life into his Test career with a searing spell in the third Test and was the standout bowler in the one-dayers, cementing his place in the team. There will be a temptation for him to continue riding this wave but his injury record suggests caution should be taken. Rather than risk him breaking down, England may take the seamer out of the firing line at least once. To be treated with such care and attention indicates just how far Wood has come.

amp_article__352308 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2019-03-04 16:58:39:
html db last update - 2021-01-25 15:13:10 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html

England in West Indies - Click here for more stories

Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal34245582265677
2Manchester CityMan City33237380324876
3Liverpool34228475344174
4Aston Villa34206871502166
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs32186865491660
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd33165125150153
7Newcastle UnitedNewcastle331551369541550
8West Ham UnitedWest Ham34139125463-948
9Chelsea32138116157447
10Bournemouth34129134960-1145
11Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton331111115254-244
12Wolverhampton WanderersWolves34127154654-843
13Fulham34126165054-442
14Crystal Palace34109154456-1239
15Brentford3498175259-735
16Everton34118153648-1233
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3479184260-1826
18Luton TownLuton3467214775-2825
19Burnley3458213769-3223
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd3437243392-5916
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .