Undermanned Aussies set for Stokes, Buttler handful

An undermanned Australian side could cop the full force of Ben Stokes in his T20 comeback tomorrow when international cricket returns to Perth following a three-year hiatus.

Starved of elite cricket due to the state's tight state border restrictions, the Western Australian capital's first international since the onset of the pandemic pits an England team welcoming back stars Jos Buttler and Stokes against an Aussie outfit minus its entire first-choice bowling attack.

The first match of Australia's World Cup title defence is a fortnight away and they still have three Dettol T20Is against England to play, the second two in Canberra, as well as an ICC warm-up against India at the Gabba, to play.

Even Buttler admitted Australia's management plan, "is probably a smart move" given the tight turnaround between their series against West Indies that finished on Friday evening, combined with the almost 10-hour return trip from the east coast.

Should England pick Stokes for Sunday’s clash, it could give the allrounder who hasn’t played a T20 something of a soft landing with Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell to all miss.

With Buttler also fully fit after missing England's recent seven-game T20 series in Pakistan due to a calf injury, second-stringers Kane Richardson, Daniel Sams, Sean Abbott and Mitchell Swepson will have their work cut out for them in front of the biggest crowd so far this summer, with upwards of 30,000 tickets already sold.

Both Mitch Marsh and Marcus Stoinis are expected to feature, the latter after recovering from a side strain, while another home-town hero in Ashton Agar could also return having suffered the same injury.

It is unclear whether Marsh (on the mend from an ankle injury) will be fit to bowl again having played against the Windies as a batter only earlier this week.

Stokes, who retired from ODIs this year, missed last year's T20 showpiece event in the UAE during a mental health break but is no stranger to the heartbreak and ecstasy of a World Cup.

He was the hero of England’s drought-breaking ODI triumph in 2019 when his side were awarded the trophy on an obscure boundary-countback clause, while his most recent act in the ICC’s flagship T20 tournament was in 2016 when he conceded four sixes in the last over of a thrilling final against the Windies.

"Ben's a superstar of the game and absolutely someone you want in your team, both on the field and off the field, he brings so much to the group," Buttler said of Stokes, who will bat at No.4 at the World Cup.

"You just see a lot of excitement to have him back around. We know what a brilliant player he is.

"We'll try to get him up the order as high as we can. Give him as much responsibility as possible and allow him to play his way to get the best out of him."

Buttler, at pains to insist Australia hold favouritism for the upcoming World Cup on their home soil for which they are the defending champions, leads a short-form side that has undergone some change in recent months.

Transformative skipper Eoin Morgan retired earlier this year, record-breaking former Australian women's team coach Matthew Mott is now at the helm, while Alex Hales is being reintegrated into the side after a long exile during the Morgan-era.

Stokes and Hales, who Mott has admitted "might not be best mates" after the pair were involved in a fracas outside a Bristol nightclub in 2017 for which both received punishment from the ECB, have not played in the same team since 2019.

Hales, who has piled on runs in Australia's KFC BBL with the Sydney Thunder over the past three summers, has returned to the fold after gun opener Jonny Bairstow suffered a gruesome ankle injury and is in a tussle with Phil Salt to be Buttler's opening partner.

"He's settled in really well," Buttler said of Hales. "It's great to have him back after a long time.

"I know he's very excited to have that opportunity again and very much wants to make the most of it. For a number of years, his form has been good, he's been playing brilliantly well.

"He's someone who knows Australian conditions very well, having a lot of success in the big bash with the Sydney Thunder."

Liam Livingstone, a former Perth Scorchers favourite who has since been taken as the No.1 pick in the KFC BBL draft by the Melbourne Renegades, will not play as he remains sidelined by an ankle injury.

Men's Dettol T20I Series v England

Sunday Oct 9: Perth Stadium, 7:10pm AEDT

Wednesday Oct 12: Manuka Oval, Canberra 7:10pm AEDT

Friday Oct 14: Manuka Oval, Canberra 7:10pm AEDT

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