Harry Brook to lead England in one-day international series against Australia

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Harry Brook is set to captain England for the first time in the Metro Bank one-day international series against Australia after Jos Buttler’s persistent calf injury saw him ruled out.

Buttler has not played a competitive match since England lost the T20 World Cup semi-final against India in Guyana at the end of June.

Having missed the Hundred he suffered a setback in his recovery and has also been forced out of facing the Australians.

The 25-year-old has only 15 caps in ODI cricket and said during last year’s chastening World Cup campaign in India that he was still “trying to figure out the format”.

But England already view him as a major voice in the dressing and a future leader and had already primed the Yorkshireman to deputise for Buttler when the squad was announced.

The news came as rain threatened to ruin England’s T20 series decider against Australia at Emirates Old Trafford.

After losing the opening match in Southampton, England levelled the score in style with a superb run case in Cardiff on Friday to set up a winner-takes-all clash.

But the covers were still on as the planned start time of 2.30pm came and went with just a few hardy spectators taking their places in the stands in hope of better weather.

Meanwhile, Brook’s appointment for matches at Trent Bridge, Headingley and Chester-le-Street also means England have blooded a new captain in each international format this summer.

Ollie Pope took the Test reins from Ben Stokes when the latter’s hamstring injury saw him miss the three-match series against Sri Lanka and Phil Salt inherited the T20 role from Buttler for the T20 series.

Josh Hull, the 20-year-old left-arm seamer who made his Test debut at the Oval earlier this month, had been due to be part of the 50-over squad but has picked up a quad injury and will now rest ahead of next month’s trip to Pakistan.

Liam Livingstone, initially dropped from the ODI leg, has been called back in after two strong performances against Australia in the T20s.