Australian News Today

England out to replicate ‘Bazball’ mantra in ODIs | cricket.com.au

England out to replicate ‘Bazball’ mantra in ODIs | cricket.com.au

Returning to the ground where they once almost conceded 500 in 50 overs, Australia are set to get their first taste of ‘Bazball’ in the white-ball form.

While Brendon McCullum doesn’t officially take charge of England’s limited-overs teams until January, interim coach Marcus Trescothick has vowed to “speak the same language” as the Kiwi mentor.

Like the T20 series last week, the hosts have a new-look squad for the five-match ODI series beginning at Trent Bridge on Thursday (9.30pm AEST) after being bundled out of last year’s 50-over World Cup with just three wins.

Jonny Bairstow has been moved on while Moeen Ali has retired from international cricket after being overlooked, with captain Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Ben Stokes and Mark Wood injured.

A good middle or good stickers? Aussie stars pick their poison

Harry Brook will be England’s third new captain this summer after Ollie Pope stood in for Stokes during the Test series against Sri Lanka and Phil Salt for Buttler in last week’s T20 series.

England ODI squad v Australia: Harry Brook (c), Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Jamie Smith, Olly Stone, Reece Topley, John Turner

Rising 20-year-old allrounder Jacob Bethell, who stunned Australia with a breathtaking 44 off 24 last Friday in Cardiff, is poised to make his debut, with fast bowler John Turner also uncapped.

Quicks Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse and Saqib Mahmood also return to the hosts’ squad.

Trescothick revealed he’d been in regular communication with McCullum since stepping in to the limited-overs role after Australian Matthew Mott was sacked following the T20 World Cup in June.

“I spent a couple of weeks before coming into this environment with him just to come up with a few ideas and a few plans on what we’re trying and do,” Trescothick said following the washed out third T20 in Manchester.

“But I know what he likes, and I’ve replicated a few things in the same way that I know he’ll carry on in that same mantra.

“The management behind the scenes are keen to expose players to new challenges and to doing it slightly differently and this is no different.”

But it was McCullum who told new Test gloveman Jamie Smith that he would be the team’s 50-over wicketkeeper too, given the nod ahead of T20 ‘keeper Phil Salt to replace Buttler, who is currently out with a calf injury but is considering giving up the gloves to revitalise his captaincy.

England have made it no secret they’ve already got one eye firmly fixed on next summer’s Ashes Down Under and Smith will get his first look at an Australian attack featuring Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc in five ODIs over the next fortnight.

“Being a novice into international cricket, it’s (about) getting a sight on everyone and they’re going to be new bowling to me, so they might be a little bit behind on plans,” he said.

“But equally, I haven’t faced them before, so it’s just about building up that experience in the bank so that the next time I face (them), I’m a little bit better and more prepared.”

Smith will keep wicket in Thursday’s series opener and likely slot into the middle order following a breakout English summer that yielded 487 runs striking at nearly 75 runs per 100 balls in six Tests against West Indies and Sri Lanka.

T20 vibe high despite washout in series decider

Emboldened by the England’s mantra to entertain first, the 24-year-old says McCullum had been a fantastic inspiration since he was fast-tracked into the Test side ahead of incumbent and Surrey teammate Ben Foakes and Bairstow.

“In the short period of time that I’ve spent with him, he’s been fantastic,” Smith said.

“He’s what I look to be as a cricketer, that nice attacking wicketkeeper-batter, and that gives me confidence to have someone that’s had that experience.

“It’s entertaining people and I think that’s the main thing for the Test side.

“And I’m sure it’ll be no different here (in the ODIs) of just entertaining people and enjoying the cricket you play.”

While Australia are also looking ahead with the likes of Jake Fraser-McGurk, Matt Short, Cooper Connolly and Mahli Beardman part of the squad, leg-spinner Adam Zampa – who plays his 100th one-day international on Thursday – said they wouldn’t be holding back against their fierce rivals.

“It was disappointing we got washed out in Manchester, it would have been nice to (play) that decider – beating England is always a good feeling,” he said.

“We’ve got a fairly new, young crew that you saw in the T20s, a couple of older faces back … (there’s) another opportunity in the next five games to go home with a trophy.”

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: First ODI v England, Trent Bridge, Nottingham, 9.30pm AEST

September 21: Second ODI v England, Headingley, Leeds, 8pm AEST

September 24: Third ODI v England, Riverside, Chester-le-Street, 9.30pm AEST

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

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