England play 11 one-day internationals and two warm-up internationals before the World Cup starts on 30 May, but this five-match series is the last before they must announce their 15-man squad. A 16th space would allow them to cover all bases, but 15 means a corner needs to be cut. They are likely to want two spare seam bowlers, especially as those players are most susceptible to injury, which means they will have to sacrifice either a second back-up batsman (Alex Hales will be the first) or a back-up spinner. Or they could cheat. That’s what they’ve done with the current squad, in which Joe Denly nominally fills both roles. Denly’s last ODI appearance was in 2009, and England need to find out whether he, with support from Joe Root, is a realistic option should Adil Rashid or Moeen Ali suffer an injury. The alternatives are not irresistible, though Liam Dawson – not in the squad for West Indies – would be a more reliable, like-for-like substitute.
Written by Rob Smyth
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/feb/19/england-west-indies-world-cup-the-spin-cricket under the title “The Spin | Questions facing England in West Indies 100 days out from World Cup”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
