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*Official* England in South Africa 2020

theegyptian

International Vice-Captain
South Africa tour schedule
  • Friday, 27 November - first T20, Newlands, Cape Town (16:00 GMT)
  • Sunday 29 November - second T20, Boland Park, Paarl (12:30 GMT)
  • Tuesday 1 December - third T20, Newlands, Cape Town (16:00 GMT)
  • Friday 4 December - first ODI, Newlands, Cape Town (11:00 GMT)
  • Sunday 6 December - second ODI, Boland Park, Paarl (08:00 GMT)
  • Wednesday 9 December - third ODI, Newlands, Cape Town (11:00 GMT)

Squads
Twenty20 squad:
Eoin Morgan (Middlesex) (captain), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire), Sam Billings (Kent), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Sam Curran (Surrey), Tom Curran (Surrey), Chris Jordan (Sussex), Dawid Malan (Yorkshire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Ben Stokes (Durham), Reece Topley (Surrey), Mark Wood (Durham).

One-day squad: Eoin Morgan (Middlesex) (captain), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire), Sam Billings (Kent), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Tom Curran (Surrey), Lewis Gregory (Somerset), Liam Livingstone (Lancashire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Olly Stone (Warwickshire), Reece Topley (Surrey), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Mark Wood (Durham).

Reserves across both formats: Jake Ball (Nottinghamshire), Tom Banton (Somerset), Tom Helm (Middlesex).
 

theegyptian

International Vice-Captain
T20 they seem to have gone full strength.
ODI sees Stokes, SCurran and Archer all rested.
Livingstone possibly the biggest surprise. Probably looking at batsman who can bowl a bit.
Ali selection not a surprise even if it doesn't inspire confidence. Just illustrates the issues with lack of spin bowlers.
 
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theegyptian

International Vice-Captain
Some good background here. https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/cr...ectors-covid-stokes-curran-archer-b44272.html


"On the other side of the coin are the coming men, who will go to South Africa instead of taking up franchise opportunities. The exception is Saqib Mahmood, who has been asked to go and find some cricket rather than carry drinks for England.
Tom Banton is a reserve in both squads (12 months ago, such a thing would not have existed), meaning he will not make it to Brisbane Heat in Australia’s Big Bash League until later, while Liam Livingstone (Perth Scorchers) and Lewis Gregory (also Heat) will have their arrivals delayed too – despite being unlikely to play too much for England. All three will have to quarantine for a fortnight on arrival in Australia.
It will be a challenging period for all three, and the sense is that they would have been better served going straight to Australia and playing cricket, rather than sitting around. Will Jacks (Hobart Hurricanes) and Joe Clarke (Scorchers) will get that opportunity. Covid means that more men are required on tour these days, and Gregory, Livingstone and Banton are the chosen ones (sort of)."
 

Nintendo

Cricketer Of The Year
Don't get why stokes, archer and curran are being rested for odi's, there already in the bubble for the t20's, maybe workload management more than a mental health call?
 

Daemon

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Archer definitely needs a break. He's played throughout this pandemic in bubbles.
 

Nintendo

Cricketer Of The Year
No David Willey? Is he injured?
Willey was great vs Ireland then got written off again, not sure why the selectors refuse to put him in squads. Don't think he's injured they did the same thing vs AUS and he was fine then.
 

Blenkinsop

U19 Cricketer
Yes I'm baffled as to why you'd select Reece Topley, who's barely played for two years and can't bat, ahead of Willey, who's in good nick and a genuine all-rounder.
 

theegyptian

International Vice-Captain
At least one of the reports I read said that Willey was injured (back i think), although he may not have made the squad if fit anyway.

Sam Curran and Willey are so similar (< 6 foot, left arm, medium pace, swing bowlers, lower middle order hitters) that it's hard to see them in the same squad together.

Topley being 6'7'' and being a bit quicker is a bit more of a threat with the ball than Willey and Curran.
 

Nintendo

Cricketer Of The Year
At least one of the reports I read said that Willey was injured (back i think), although he may not have made the squad if fit anyway.

Sam Curran and Willey are so similar (< 6 foot, left arm, medium pace, swing bowlers, lower middle order hitters) that it's hard to see them in the same squad together.

Topley being 6'7'' and being a bit quicker is a bit more of a threat with the ball than Willey and Curran.
Yeah that makes a lot of sense, Willey will be 34 by the next world cup and already has injury problems, moving on is the right call.
 

grecian

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Yeah that makes a lot of sense, Willey will be 34 by the next world cup and already has injury problems, moving on is the right call.
Yep they got rid of one of our best bowlers in this form, Plunkers, because of thinking of next World Cup, think it's the same with Willey. Shame for both IMHO, both decent performers.

I get the Topley thing though, if he could just stay fit I reckon he's a very different angle of attack which could unsettle World class bats, just hope he can stay fit.
 

Immenso

International Vice-Captain
Listened to Jeetan Patel interview on Top Order podcast (from about 6 months ago).

He was England spin coach on South Africa tour last summer, and wonders/speculates if the flu that ripped through squad last Xmas (and had Ben Stokes' father in intensive care) was covid.

Has there been any talk on that?

Not sure if timeline would fit, though.
 

FBU

International Debutant
Jack Leach -
"I do kind of wonder whether I had it in South Africa. If you had the symptoms I had in South Africa now, you would think 'this is definitely coronavirus'.

"I picked up this cough, temperature and just felt shattered. And having been through what I'd been through in New Zealand - with the medication I was on - I struggled to fight that off. I just remember feeling like my energy levels were so low.

We had 17 out of 19 players down with 'flu' at various stages. 6 backroom staff as well. Cases of COVID-19 were around in Nov 19.
 

theegyptian

International Vice-Captain
Having Woakes at 8 in the ODI side is such a luxury.

Played 1 delightful shot in his innings today. Jordan inswinging yorker that was a little wide of off stump and Woakes just eases it past backward points left hand and wide of third man for four. Just a great touch.
 

theegyptian

International Vice-Captain
Team morgan struggling today. https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...gan-tour-match-south-africa-v-england-2020-21 Stokes and Bairstow having a second bat of the innings towards the end.

Stone and Helm are interesting ones. Both looked quality prospects coming through but both blighted by injury, with actions that have changed a decent amount, especially Helm.

There is still talk of Stone as a speed 'merchant' so to speak but he's not really that - hasn't got over 90mph regular since he badly did his knee. He's actually got good red ball skills. I'd like to see him concentrate on bowling mid 80s with skills, rather than straining massively for that extra pace, and being selected as an 'enforcer'. Is a test option rather than white ball.

Helm is a t20 option these days. Doesn't seem to really fancy the fitness required for the four day stuff. Awkward to face.
 

Nintendo

Cricketer Of The Year
Also, team buttler batted the full 20 overs and ended up 214/5 at the end of the game, Sam Curran hit 80* off 37, don't know why cricinfo isn't mentioning this.
 

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