Eoin Morgan is set to hand over the England captaincy to Jos Buttler for Friday’s fourth one-day international against Pakistan in Nottingham after being hit with a one-match ban for slow-over rates.
England fail to bowl their first innings overs in the allotted time during Tuesday’s six-wicket win in Bristol and, as a second such offence in the last 12 months following similar tardiness against West Indies in February, Morgan must bear the brunt.
As well as sitting out the Trent Bridge fixture, when England can wrap-up the series 3-0 with a game to spare, Morgan has been docked 40% of his match fee, with his teammates fined 20% (England players earn roughly £3,500 each per ODI).
Jonny Bairstow, whose 93-ball 128 helped the hosts canter to a supposedly imposing target of 359 with 5.1 overs to spare, has also received an official reprimand and a demerit point on his record for hitting the stumps with his bat after being dismissed.
While unlikely to be thrilled by the loss of earnings – but at least safe in the knowledge that disciplinary points do not carry over into the World Cup – Morgan was always likely to sit out one of the remaining two matches in order to give Buttler, his vice-captain, some fresh leadership experience.
Buttler, rested in Bristol following an incendiary 110 not out from just 55 balls at Southampton’s Ageas Bowl on Saturday, will therefore be one of a number of expected changes to the XI as England look to give all squad members game time.
Mark Wood is down to make his first appearance of the summer, while Jofra Archer has also been tipped to return as he looks to cement a World Cup slot. Adil Rashid, whose absence on Tuesday contributed to the slow over-rate, could also slot back in given the apparent distrust of Joe Denly’s leg-breaks.
All three bowlers will doubtless crack wry smiles at returning for Trent Bridge, a ground with arguably the flattest one-day pitch in the country and the scene of two world-record totals by England’s batsmen in their last two completed ODIs there.