England’s condensed winter programme continues with the first of three ODIs against West Indies – as fringe players look to make their case for Champions Trophy squad

In what is a ridiculously condensed winter programme even by their own standards, England take on West Indies in the first of eight white-ball matches this evening, just three days after the final Test of a 2-1 defeat to Pakistan was scheduled to conclude.

So, why is a squad devoid of its Test stars in the Caribbean for a third year in a row and what purpose will the three-week tour serve? 

Mail Sport’s Richard Gibson looks at the key issues ahead of the opening match of three one-day internationals:

Payback 

Firstly, England owe their West Indies counterparts for ‘keeping the lights on’ during the Covid summer of 2020 when they fulfilled a three-match Test series under biosecure conditions, saving the ECB £60million in television money and millions more in sponsorship. 

It has become clear to ECB chiefs Richard Thompson (L) and Richard Gould (R) that lesser nations must get more of the financial pie

Initially, they added two extra internationals to the 2022 tour here and then expanded the 2023 series from six to eight matches. Since time, it has dawned on an England hierarchy of chair Richard Thompson and Richard Gould, the chief executive, that in order for world cricket to remain strong, lesser nations must get more of the financial pie. 

With a peppercorn television deal in comparison to their international rivals, the Windies are in need of all the resources they can get and this trip offsets the lack of a Test series between the sides here until 2027 at the earliest due to fixtures being dictated by the World Test Championship itinerary between now and then.

Preparation for Champions Trophy

The two matches at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium and series finale in Barbados next week represent half the ODIs England play before February’s Champions Trophy. The other three, in India, in the build-up to that eight-team tournament in Pakistan are likely to feature a full-strength squad – it is anticipated that Jos Buttler, Joe Root, Harry Brook and Ben Stokes will all return – so this is an opportunity to scrutinise performances of the other contenders in conditions not dissimilar to those served up in Asia. 

England also need to alter the momentum of their results overseas, having lost 14 of their most recent 21 matches – a sequence contributing to Matthew Mott’s sacking in the summer.

England must improve on the dismal overseas run that helped see former head coach Matthew Mott sacked in the summer

Livingstone’s lifeline 

Of those trying to cement a Champions Trophy place, Liam Livingstone is arguably the most interesting case. Dropped two months ago, he now finds himself as England’s sixth captain this calendar year, and it is hoped the extra responsibility of leading in Buttler’s absence will build on his initial response to being axed: a rambunctious 87 was at the core of a stunning run Twenty20 run chase to defeat Australia in Cardiff and he struck another half-century to help England level the ODI series against the Aussies following his recall. 

‘Something I’ve always responded well to in my career is setbacks,’ Livingstone said. ‘I’ve probably had a few of them growing up. Coming from Barrow, things haven’t been easy. Even travelling three times a week when I was 14, 15, 16 to try to get to things to days like captaining your country for the first time. It’s obviously disappointing to be left out, but I could have quite easily sulked, not done anything about it and ended up not here.’

Liam Livingstone (right), dropped two months ago, he now finds himself as England’s sixth captain this calendar year

Blooding of the next generation 

Ahead of Brendon McCullum assuming overall control of England teams in the new year, there could be as many as 10 debuts across the two formats here. Essex duo Jordan Cox and Michael Pepper, the all-rounders Jamie Overton and Dan Mousley, Hampshire fast bowler John Turner and Jafer Chohan – the Yorkshire leg-spinner arguably the most exciting selection of the lot – are all uncapped at ODI level. 

Only Cox and Overton of the sextet have played at senior international level, and with five T20s concluding this tour, there will be plenty of scope for looking at different combinations within XIs. West Indies, meanwhile, have included exciting 17-year-old batsman Jewel Andrew in their squad.

Yorkshire leg-spinner Jafer Chohan is arguably the most exciting of the potential debutants

Teams (probable) 

West Indies – King, Lewis, Hope (capt), Rutherford, Hetmyer, Andrew, Chase, A Joseph, Motie, Forde, Seales

England – Salt, Jacks, Cox, Bethell, Livingstone, Curran, Mousley, Overton, Archer, Rashid, Mahmood