England name white-ball squads for Australia tour with Thomas Rew and Eddie Jack included

England have handed teenager Thomas Rew his first international call-up for next month’s T20 series against Australia, with uncapped seamer Eddie Jack also included.

Somerset wicketkeeper-batter Rew, who has leapfrogged older brother James in the pecking order, would become just the third 18-year-old to play men’s international cricket for England if he features in the first three games of the five-match contest Down Under.

Rehan Ahmed holds the record as the country’s youngest player in all three formats, with Brian Close the only other to feature before his 19th birthday when he took the field in 1949.

Rew captained his country at the Under-19 World Cup in February and impressed management last winter when scoring 55 not out against Ben Stokes’ Test team during the ill-fated Ashes warm-up against England Lions in Perth.

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A look to the future

Hampshire prospect Jack also featured in that game and has been on the selection radar for a couple of years.

The pair have slender CVs to lean on – Rew with a single half-century in 18 T20s, while 21-year-old Jack has just eight wickets in seven outings – but, with the next 20-over World Cup not taking place until late 2028, England have taken the opportunity to look to the future.

Neither will be involved in the three ODIs which kick off the tour Down Under, following on from the team’s tri-series against Pakistan.

Opener Ben Duckett drops out after the first trip with his place going to the fit-again Jacob Bethell, who has been missing with a knee problem since July.

Spinners James Coles and Mason Crane also depart after Pakistan given the change in conditions, while Jofra Archer returns for the ODIs following a period of rest.

Rotation

Coles rejoins the squad for the T20 leg, while the pace group of Archer, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker and Josh Tongue are all rotated out.

Captain Harry Brook’s seam options will be Surrey-bound Henry Crocombe, who has yet to make his international debut but seems destined for a sharp rise after being handed a two-year contract, Jamie Overton, Jack, all-rounder Sam Curran and left-armer Luke Wood.

Wood’s inclusion, in place of Saqib Mahmood (knee), comes just 24 hours after losing his ECB deal despite 39 being handed out, with Aneurin Donald the other player to be picked from outside that list.

Former skipper Jos Buttler preempted his own absence by posting on social media about his recent hamstring operation, but England do have Phil Salt back after a quad injury ruled him out at the end of the season.

Close to full strength

National selector Marcus North, said: “The returns of Jacob Bethell and Jofra Archer for the ODI series means that we will be at close to full strength as we ramp up preparations for a World Cup in a year’s time.

“Our T20 team has been in excellent form under captain Harry Brook and we are looking forward to the opportunity to test ourselves in Australian conditions against a very good team.

“We will have four uncapped players in an exciting IT20 squad including Thomas Rew and Eddie Jack, both of whom toured Australia with the England Lions last year, and who earn their first England call-ups.”

England white ball squads for tour of Australia

ODI squad: Harry Brook (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jordan Cox, Henry Crocombe, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Josh Tongue.

T20 squad: Harry Brook, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, James Coles, Jordan Cox, Henry Crocombe, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Aneurin Donald, Eddie Jack, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Thomas Rew, Phil Salt, Luke Wood.

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