Key events
Ali Martin’s series preview
West Indies win the toss and bowl
It’s a very windy afternoon in Birmingham; Harry Brook isn’t asked what he’s have done.
England named their team yesterday, with Jamie Smith getting first crack as Ben Duckett’s opening partner. Will Jacks at No7 is an interesting choice. It feels odd to see him so low but England desperately need a reliable death-hitter so it’s worth a try.
England XI Duckett, Smith, Root, Brook (c), Buttler (wk), Bethell, Jacks, J Overton, Carse, Rashid, Mahmood.
Preamble
It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day. Harry Brook’s reign as England’s white-ball captain begins with a three-match ODI series against West Indies, starting today at Edgbaston. The start of a new era is inevitably the main focus, but we shouldn’t lose sight of the C-word: context.
England’s one-day form has been sufficiently miserable that they are eighth in the ICC rankings, three points above West Indies. Only the top eight will qualify automatically for the next World cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia at the end of 2027.
There’s still a fair way to go – the cutoff point is March of that year – but England need to get their white balls in a row sooner rather than later. Today would be a perfect time to start.
The match starts at 1pm.
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