England turn to uncapped quintet as regulars return to counties

Yorkshire's England Test captain Joe Root. PIC: Mike Egerton/PA Wire.

England have called up the uncapped quintet of Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Tom Curran, Mason Crane and Craig Overton for the three-match Twenty20 series against South Africa.

The five – with no international appearances – are given a chance in a 16-man squad which is missing several Test regulars.

New England Test captain Joe Root and others will instead take part in a day-night round of Specsavers County Championship matches which immediately follows the South Africa series at the end of this month. Moeen Ali, Jake Ball and Ben Stokes will also play for their counties rather than England, as preparation for the first day-night Test in this country against West Indies at Edgbaston in August.