Wicketkeepers Josh Inglis and Alex Carey have both been given the nod for the fourth ODI, with star duo Travis Head and Adam Zampa also back as Australia eye a series victory at Lord’s.

Carey, the man at the centre of last year’s Ashes controversy that ignited the Lord’s crowd, keeps his place at No.6 after a sensational start to the series but will play as a specialist batter with Inglis given the wicketkeeping duties.

Inglis makes his first appearance of the five-match series after recovering from a quad complaint, while Head and Zampa return after missing Australia’s 46-run DLS loss at Durham on Tuesday due to soreness and illness respectively.

Allrounders Matt Short, Aaron Hardie and Cameron Green make way for the returning trio, with the latter later revealed to have a back injury, ruling him out of the rest of the tour.

Australia XI: Travis Head, Mitch Marsh (c), Steve Smith, Josh Inglis (wk), Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Sean Abbott, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

 

England XI: Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Harry Brook (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid

After a two-hour delay, Aussie skipper Mitch Marsh won his first toss against England this tour and opted to bowl on a dreary day in London that has seen more than 17mm of rain in the 24 hours prior to the match.

England have named an unchanged side with Jofra Archer to play consecutive matches for the first time in this tour with the hosts aiming to stay alive in the series.

The inclusion of both Inglis and Carey makes for an intriguing lead-in to next year’s Champions Trophy with just five ODIs remaining for Australia before the global tournament, with a three-game home series against Pakistan in November to follow the final two matches in England.

Carey seized his chance with Inglis injured for the start of the series, peeling off 74 and 77 not out in his first two ODI innings since being dropped for the West Australian one game into last year’s World Cup campaign.

Marsh flagged on the eve of the fourth ODI that playing the two wicketkeepers was an option being considered, with Inglis’ flexibility a major factor in both getting the nod.

Inglis scored 65 and 35no opening the batting in two of his past three one-day internationals but has only batted at No.4 once in his 21 ODIs, which is where he’ll line up today.

Inglis and Carey previously played together in the one-day format 12 months ago in India and South Africa in the lead up to the 2023 ODI World Cup, with Carey taking the gloves on all four occasions.

“Josh gives us a lot of flexibility, he can bat literally anywhere,” Marsh told reporters at Lord’s on Thursday.

“They both add a lot of value with the bat in any team.”

It was no coincidence Australia’s first loss in 15 one-day internationals was the only one Zampa didn’t play, with the leg-spinner – the leading wicket-taker in men’s ODIs since the start of 2020 – a huge boost for the tourists’ hopes of taking an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.

Head’s absence also saw Australia record their lowest-scoring Powerplay across those past 15 matches, reaching 1-41 after 10 overs after being asked to bat first in seaming conditions at Chester-le-Street’s Riverside Ground.

“It’ll be massive … to have them both back,” Marsh said. “We know the last couple of years that they’ve both had and the experience they bring to our team.”

Qantas Tour of the UK 2024

Watch all the action from Australia’s white-ball tour of the UK live and exclusive on Foxtel and Kayo Sports. Click here to subscribe.

Australia T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood (England games only), Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Riley Meredith, Matt Short (England games only), Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

September 4: Australia beat Scotland by seven wickets

September 6: Australia beat Scotland by 70 runs

September 7: Australia beat Scotland by six wickets

September 11: Australia beat England by 28 runs

September 13: England beat Australia by three wickets

September 15: Match abandoned

Australia ODI squad: Mitch Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa. Reserve: Mahli Beardman

September 19: Australia beat England by seven wickets

September 21: Australia beat England by 68 runs

September 24: England beat Australia by 46 runs (DLS method)

September 27: Fourth ODI v England, Lord’s, London, 9.30pm AEST

September 29: Fifth ODI v England, County Ground, Bristol, 8pm AEST