JAMIE SMITH IS NAMED ENGLAND'S WICKETKEEPER AGAINST AUSTRALIA, WITH LIMITED-OVERS CAPTAIN JOS BUTTLER SET TO LEAD FROM THE FIELD UNDER INCOMING ALL-FORMAT COACH BRENDON MCCULLUM

Jos Buttler has been England's regular wicketkeeper in limited-overs cricket
Jamie Smith is now set to take the gloves in one-day cricket moving forward
Buttler is likely to lead from the field once he returns from his calf injury

Jamie Smith will keep wicket against Ashes rivals Australia this month in a sign that England view him as a long-term bet across all three international formats.

And the fact that Surrey’s Smith, 24, was notified of his role before Jos Buttler was ruled out of the five matches against the old enemy, suggests that incoming coach Brendon McCullum favours a captain leading from the field.

McCullum does not assume supreme control of England’s teams until the new year, but has influenced key decisions over the past fortnight and Phil Salt would have been wicketkeeper for last week’s drawn Twenty20 series against the Australians regardless of Buttler’s availability.

Smith, who was rested along with Harry Brook for those three matches, revealed: ‘I found out just after the Test finished at the Oval, it's a pretty quick turn around so Baz told me I was going to be keeping. To be told I'm keeping wicket for England in a couple of formats now is nice.’

England have also recalled Saqib Mahmood for five one-day internationals beginning at Trent Bridge on Thursday and culminating in Bristol on September 29, equalling the latest finish for a home summer.

Lancashire fast bowler Mahmood ended his 18-month England absence by featuring in the T20s and follows county colleague Liam Livingstone in being added to a group that lost Leicestershire left-armer Josh Hull to a thigh strain over the weekend.

Meanwhile, injuries to Australia’s fast-bowling pack - Xavier Bartlett has joined Nathan Ellis and Spencer Johnson on the crocked list - led to uncapped Under-19 international Mahli Beardman reporting for duty in Nottingham yesterday/on Tuesday.

Teenager Beardman strolled across the outfield in casual clothes, leading fellow paceman Mitchell Starc to rib him on whether or not he had been given a shirt.

2024-09-17T15:07:49Z dg43tfdfdgfd