England called up uncapped quintet Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Tom Curran, Mason Crane and Craig Overton on Monday for their three-match Twenty20 series against South Africa. The five, who have no international appearances between them in any format, are given their chance as several key players including Test captain Joe Root and star all-rounder Ben Stokes have been rested.
Those two, alongside several other established players, will instead take part in day/night county championship matches ahead of the first Test against West Indies at Edgbaston, which will be played under similar conditions - a first in England. "The series against South Africa presents us with an opportunity to incorporate several players who have come through the talent pathway into the senior group," said England chairman of selectors James Whitaker.
"The squad has an exciting blend of youth and experience and we are looking forward to a competitive series against strong opposition. "Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Tom Curran and Craig Overton have impressed for the England Lions over the past 12 months and have transferred their skills across all formats, in particular with their respective counties.
"Young leg-spinner Mason Crane is another player with great promise and he has made great strides with Hampshire this season and has added to his experience with stints in the North-South Series earlier in the season, where he took crucial wickets and even earned selection for New South Wales in Australia's premier domestic competition the Sheffield Shield."
The squad - captained by Eoin Morgan - will get together on June 20 with their first match in Southampton on June 21 followed by clashes in Taunton two days later and the final match in Cardiff on June 25.
Squad:Sam Billings (Kent), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Mason Crane (Hampshire), Tom Curran (Surrey), Liam Dawson (Hampshire), Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire), Chris Jordan (Sussex), Liam Livingstone (Lancashire), Dawid Malan (Middlesex), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex/capt), Liam Plunkett (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), David Willey (Yorkshire).
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