With their disastrous World Cup campaign in the rearview mirror, England will now test their white-ball prowess once again as they head to the West Indies for a limited-overs tour.
The West Indies failed to qualify for this year’s World Cup but it gives England a chance to bounce back after being eliminated from the tournament with one win in their first six matches.
The England squad will face the home team in three one-day internationals followed by five Twenty20 internationals over three weeks in December.
This will be the first time England have played the West Indies in ODIs in over four years and they will be hoping for a better showing than that produced during a ‘difficult’ period in India.
When?
England’s limited-overs tour of the West Indies will run from Sunday 3 December to Thursday 21 December. Since there is no warm-up match, England will play directly against the home team.
What is the full fixture list and schedule?
ODI series
All games start at 14:00 GMT
1st ODI3 December at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua
2nd ODI6 December at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua
3rd ODI9 December at Kensington Oval, Barbados
T20 series
All games are day/night matches and start at 20:00 GMT
1st T20I: 12 December at Kensington Oval, Barbados
2nd T20I: 14 December at Grenada National Cricket Stadium
3rd T20I: 16 December at Grenada National Cricket Stadium
4. T20I: 19 December Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago
5th T20I: 21 December Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago
What are the latest results between the two teams?
It has been a long time since the two sides have faced each other in a one-day international, but results in both formats are mixed with 2-2 in ODIs and 3-2 in T20Is against West Indies.
ODIs
February 22, 2019: West Indies won by 26 runs
February 27, 2019: England won by 29 runs
2 March 2019: West Indies won by seven wickets
June 14, 2019: England won by eight wickets
T20Is
January 22, 2022: West Indies won by nine wickets
January 23, 2022: England won by one run
January 26, 2022: West Indies won by 20 runs
January 29, 2022: England won by 34 runs
January 30, 2022: West Indies won by 17 runs
How do I watch it on TV?
England’s Caribbean tour will be shown by TNT Sports. The company, which bought BT Sport earlier this year, continues to hold the rights to matches played in the West Indies and Australia. Matches will also be available to stream live on Discovery+ for a monthly subscription of £29.99.
What’s the latest news?
By Tim Wigmore
Ben Duckett says England’s torrid World Cup campaign has been “difficult” to watch as he aims to play a key role in a “fresh start” for the one-day international.
Duckett did not attend the World Cup but watched all of England’s matches.
“It was hard to watch sometimes and I watch my friends go out there and compete,” he said. “It was really difficult. For me personally, I’ve had six weeks to take a breather – it’s been a big 12 months for me – and it can actually be quite refreshing. “I am eager to go now.”
Duckett scored 107 in England’s last ODI against Ireland in September, his first one-day international century. Duckett has been batted in at number four in the matches against Ireland while opening for the Test side and is set to maintain that position against the West Indies when the three-match ODI series begins in Antigua on Sunday.
Duckett said despite England’s poor run at the World Cup, there had been no change in the message to the side, with an emphasis on maintaining the method that brought England the 2019 World Cup and last year’s T20 World Cup.
“I don’t think it will be a change because of the way the World Cup is going,” the Nottinghamshire player said. “Potentially the guys were in their late 30s and nearing the end of their 50-plus careers, so it always seemed like there was going to be a fresh start after that.
“It’s a great opportunity to show what we can do. In the past years I’ve been around and around the white-ball group and it’s been impossible to get in, so for me personally I’m just excited to try it out.”
“I’m one of the most experienced players and I’ve played eight games. I have to go and prove that I’m good enough to be in this team and so do the other players.”
‘A new group of players’
England’s squad for the ODI series includes only five players who featured in the World Cup, plus Brydon Carse, who was called up during the tournament.
“It’s really exciting, it’s a pretty new group of players, it’s a similar type of team that has done some pretty special things in the Ireland series,” Duckett said. “It’s important for each of us to perform, and that’s how we look at it.
“I know how difficult it is to stay in the team when there are so many players and I think the biggest thing I’ve learned in the last 12-15 months is not to think too far ahead. “I need to finish this series to move on to the next one, people who weren’t here are coming through the door, so the next four years “I don’t think I’ll be accepted forever. It would be stupid of me to think that.”
England opener Phil Salt arrived in Antigua only late on Thursday due to a family issue. England will make a decision later on whether to include him in the opening ODI on Sunday.
England have plenty of batting options for this series. Apart from openers Salt and Will Jacks, who could also be tried to move down the order, England will also want to give opportunities to Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope, who will make his ODI debut during the series. Harry Brook and skipper Jos Buttler are expected to bat at five and six.
The pitch at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium is expected to deliver a remarkable turnaround. This means England will face conditions similar to those they experienced during the World Cup in India, when they won just three of nine games during their title defence.
The West Indies are rebuilding after failing to qualify for the World Cup in India following defeats against Zimbabwe, Netherlands and Scotland in the qualifying tournament. Adding to the side’s concerns, wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich also announced his immediate retirement from international cricket. Dowrich was called to the side after three years away from international matches. He was not replaced in the West Indies squad for the three ODIs.
ODI team
Jos Buttler (captain, Lancashire), Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire), Gus Atkinson (Surrey), Harry Brook (Yorkshire), Brydon Carse (Durham), Zak Crawley (Surrey), Sam Curran (Surrey), Ben Duckett (Notts), Tom Hartley (Lancashire), Will Jacks (Surrey), Liam Livingstone (Lancashire), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Matthew Potts (Durham), Phil Salt (Lancashire), John Turner (Hampshire).
T20I squad
Jos Buttler (captain, Lancashire), Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire), Moeen Ali (Warwickshire), Gus Atkinson (Surrey), Harry Brook (Yorkshire), Sam Curran (Surrey), Ben Duckett (Notts), Will Jacks (Surrey), Liam Livingstone (Lancashire), Tymal Mills (Sussex), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Phil Salt (Lancashire), Reece Topley (Surrey), John Turner (Hampshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire).