England’s plans were thrown into disarray earlier this week when Ben Stokes was arrested in the early hours on Monday morning, although he was subsequently released without charge.
England director of cricket and former captain Andrew Strauss confirmed that neither Stokes nor Alex Hales, who was also out with the Durham all-rounder, would take part in today’s fourth ODI against West Indies at The Oval.
However, he also said that “form and fitness” would be the only consideration for players in this morning’s Ashes squad, confirming that neither player had impeded their chances of a trip to Australia with their night out on Sunday.
The Ashes 2017/18: England squad announcement LIVE
10.15am: As I expected, the selections of Ballance and Vince as the middle order fodder has not gone down well with fans.
However, Trevor Bayliss did promise that there wouldn’t be any unfamiliar faces – so the likes of Rory Burns and Nick Gubbins were never likely to make the cut.
That said, there are still three uncapped players in the squad, but Craig Overton, Mason Crane and Ben Foakes have all played international cricket in some format before.
10am: It is as we expected. Stokes, Vince, Ball, Crane – all of them. Stokes has also retained the vice-captaincy, we are told.
England Ashes squad CONFIRMED: Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Joe Root, Dawid Malan, Gary Ballance, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Foakes, Moeen Ali, Mason Crane, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, Jimmy Anderson, Jake Ball, Craig Overton.
9.59am: Here we go then – were the leaks bang on? Or are we about to have a surprise sprung on us?
9.45am: Assuming the squad is as we believe it to be, it looks like a straight shootout between Gary Ballance and James Vince for the No 3 spot which Tom Westley completey failed to make his own this year.
Ballance has plenty of well-publicised technical issues but Vince is also not without his flaws. It would seem odd for the selectors to pick Vince without the intention of playing him in the first Test, but Root is a good friend of Ballance and a big advocate for his abilities. The Yorkshireman has also been prolific in the Championship with 946 runs at an average of 72.76 with three hundreds.
9.30am: The most controversial inclusion appears to be that of James Vince. The Hampshire batsman played seven Tests last summer against Sri Lanka and Pakistan with a top score of just 42 before he was dropped.
And the 26-year-old has hardly set the County Championship on fire this year with two hundreds and an average of just 33.
But the England selectors believe his style will suit the Australian pitches and with Tom Westley having flopped at No 3 for the national side this summer, Strauss and co are looking for another man to fill that slot. Enter Vince.
9.15am: In 45 minutes, it will be official. The 16 men who will represent England in Australia this winter (or summer Down Under) will have been announced to the world and the speculation about which 11 of them will get the nod in Brisbane on November 23 can begin.
However, there is a chance our Christmas presents have been opened the night before. A leaked squad last night appeared to reveal what the selectors have gone with. What do you make of this collection of cricketers, then?
England (probable): Cook, Stoneman, Vince, Root, Malan, Ballance, Stokes, Bairstow, Foakes, Moeen, Crane, Woakes, Broad, Anderson, Ball, C. Overton.
