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Taylor to skipper new-look England in Ireland

The ODI squad includes five uncapped players

Afp April 28, 2015

In 17 matches, Taylor has made 492 runs at an average of 35.14, with a highest score of 98 not out, made against Australia in England’s opening match of the World Cup. PHOTO: AFP

LONDON: England will send out an inexperienced one-day side to take on Ireland next month with five uncapped players named on Tuesday in a squad led by new captain James Taylor.

The bold move is down to the fact that the Test team arrives back from duty in the West Indies just one day before the May 8 fixture.

Taylor will lead the team in Dublin in just his 18th ODI, while Zafar Ansari, Sam Billings, James Vince, Lewis Gregory and David Willey are all in with a chance of making their senior debuts.

“To be given the opportunity to lead your country is a huge honour,” said the Nottinghamshire batsman. “It’s going to be brilliant, leading an England team in an ODI. We know it will be a tough game against Ireland and this match provides a great chance for all of us to show we can play a huge role in limited-overs cricket in years to come.”

The current 11-man squad will be topped up with players who do not make the cut for the third Test in Barbados.

Wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow, currently in the Caribbean as cover for Jos Buttler, has already been included in the 50-over squad and could be joined in Ireland by the likes of Adil Rashid, Mark Wood and Liam Plunkett, should they fail to force their way into the Test side.

After a disappointing World Cup, England are hoping to bring along these players with a view to building up to the 2019 tournament on home soil.

“We are expecting a very competitive match against a talented Ireland side and this fixture gives us a great opportunity to look at players who have performed well in county cricket and for the Lions,” said selector James Whitaker. “Taylor has played with many of these players with England and England Lions and his experience leading Notts Outlaws make him an ideal captain to lead a young and dynamic side with Eoin Morgan currently playing in the Indian Premier League.”

England’s ODI squad to play Ireland comprises of Taylor (captain), Ansari, Bairstow, Billings, Tim Bresnan, Steven Finn, Gregory, Alex Hales, Jason Roy, Vince and Willey.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 29^th, 2015.

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