Tom Banton added to England squad for 3rd ODI vs Sri Lanka
Tom Banton could be in line to make his first ODI appearance in almost a year after he was added to Englandโs squad for the final match of the Sri Lanka series. His inclusion came just hours before England take on Sri Lanka in the second ODI in London.
England Cricket announced the 22-year-old's inclusion on social media, revealing that he has been added to the squad for the third ODI.
Tom Banton has been in red-hot form for Somerset in the ongoing Vitality T20 Blast. He has scored 236 runs in seven games and has a blistering strike rate of 195.04 in the competition.
Banton grabbed headlines recently for his stunning 47-ball hundred against Kent which included seven sixes. He scored an unbeaten 107 from 51 as Somerset cruised to a 10-wicket over Kent.
England have already tried several opening combinations in the white-ball series against Sri Lanka, with Liam Livingstone, Jason Roy, Jos Buttler, Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow all opening the batting.
Tom Banton is likely to take up an opening slot as well if he gets a chance in the third and final ODI against Sri Lanka. The match takes place in Bristol on July 4.
A win for England today could boost Tom Bantonโs chances of playing the final ODI, as it would mean the hosts would have wrapped up the series with a game to go.
A look at Tom Bantonโs England record
If Tom Banton makes the cut in the final ODI, it would be his first white-ball appearance for England since September 2020. The youngster has played six ODIs for England and averages 26.80 to go with a strike rate of 92.41. He has also featured in nine T20Is for England, scoring 205 runs at a strike rate of 143.35.