Anderson, Broad want to stay in one-day game

James Anderson and Stuart Broad have said they want to continue playing one-day cricket for England, despite being left out of the squad for this month’s ODI series against New Zealand.

The fast bowling pair, along with batsmen Ian Bell and Gary Ballance and off-spinning allrounder Moeen Ali, were not included in the 14-man team for the five-match ODI series.

England opted for youth in the one-day squad after a poor showing at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand earlier this year, with the average age of the squad 25.

Anderson, who took his 400th Test wicket in the second Test against the Black Caps at Headingley, said he was keen to continue his 194-match ODI career.

“I still want to play all forms of the game,” Anderson told Sky Sports News.

“But it’s probably sensible this year, in particular, where we have got a lot of Test cricket and with an Ashes Series coming up, that some of the guys are given a chance.

“I still see a future for me in one-day cricket, but this year, with a lot of Test cricket, I want to give that my full focus, especially with this Ashes Series, I can throw myself into that.”

Broad echoed Anderson’s sentiments, saying his omission from the ODI squad came as no surprise as he was “already under orders” to concentrate on the Ashes.

"I want to contribute to the one-day side again and certainly believe I'm good enough," Broad, 28, told BBC Sport.

"But I understand a need to prioritise Test cricket for England this summer."

"The ECB explained that me and Jimmy Anderson need to get a decent amount of rest, as well as to concentrate on playing red ball cricket leading into the Ashes series.

"To be honest, I've been talking to them since the winter and with 16 Test matches to play this year, knowing that I would not be playing did not come as a huge shock.”

Broad, who has played 119 ODIs since his debut in 2006, said he was still eyeing a berth in England’s one-day squad for the next World Cup in 2019.

"I feel I can offer a lot to and would like to play in (the World Cup). I'm not 35, I'm only 28.

"People say you're at your best, experience and skill-wise, between 28 and 32 or 33. Look at how much Jimmy Anderson has improved in the last five years."

When the ODI squad was announced, England and Wales Cricket Board national selector James Whitaker said the future of the four omitted players in one-day international cricket was not over.

“We have opted to rest Moeen Ali from this series and he will play cricket for Worcestershire in preparation for the Ashes next month,” Whitaker said in an ECB statement.

“A number of players involved in the recent World Cup including James Anderson, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell and Stuart Broad have been left of the squad for this series.

“It is important to point out that none of these players have been ruled out of playing a role for England in limited overs formats in the future.

“This squad allows us to look at a group of players who have performed well both at county and England Lions level in recent years.”

Wicketkeeper Jos Buttler, who scored 71 off 35 for Lancashire in the England domestic T20 competition on Friday, said he believed the young squad could help England put their disappointing World Cup performance behind them.

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“These are guys who have been doing things in county cricket that are really exciting,” Buttler said at the launch of a new under-11 cricket tournament.

“ I think it’s time to put the World Cup behind us. It was very disappointing and we learned some really key messages – where we were going so wrong.

“ A lot of people have been talking about a new era and a new brand but now it’s about actually playing that way and not just talking about it. We have to go out there with that freedom and no fear of failure and go out playing the brand of cricket that is 50-over cricket these days.”