MANCHESTER    -   England and Australia are set to play three ODIs as part of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League, starting 11 September.

After the T20Is at Southampton, a series that the hosts claimed 2-1, England and Australia turn their attention to the ODI series in Manchester. The series will mark Australia’s first games as part of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League, on their path to the 2023 Men’s Cricket World Cup. England, who played Ireland in July-August as part of the competition, lead the points table, having won two matches so far. 

This will be the teams’ first meeting in ODIs since Eoin Morgan’s side knocked Australia out of the World Cup in the semi-final last year. For England, it is also the first time since that epic final that stars of their campaign Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood return to the ODI set-up. Morgan, who missed the final T20I with a dislocated finger, has been declared fit, as has Jason Roy, who has recovered from a side strain. The in-form Buttler, who missed one match for personal reasons, is also back with the squad.

For Australia, who have had an up-and-down run in the format since their 2015 World Cup triumph and currently sit at No.5 on the ICC ODI Team Rankings, the series offers a chance to settle on their best line-up. Their main focus will be on the middle order, with skipper Aaron Finch suggesting ahead of the game that he expects Mitchell Marsh, star of the final T20I, to play an important role there. The captain also confirmed that Alex Carey, who was left out for the final T20I, will be back as wicket-keeper.

The last time the teams met in an ODI, England knocked Australia out of the World Cup semi-final. Chris Woakes and Adil Rashid took three wickets each, before Roy’s brisk 85 led England’s chase of 223 for an eight-wicket win. In the T20Is earlier this month, Australia fluffed their lines in a seemingly straightforward chase in the first game, before Buttler took the game away in the second. Marsh secured a win in the third to assure them of the No.1 ranking in the format.

Australia captain Aaron Finch said: “We’re still searching for the best formula for us and our best 11 players day in, day out in the one-day format ... We know that any time you play England you can’t play at 90%, you have to be at 100% to beat them and we’re excited for that challenge.”

England captain Eoin Morgan said: “It’s a huge benefit to us playing at Old Trafford, particularly if we play on the wicket that we think we’re going to play on which will be slow and that will take a lot of turn. That’s both our weakest point and it’s more than likely what we’re likely to play on in 2023 (in the World Cup in India).”