England name unchanged Test squad for Caribbean tour

LONDON, England (CMC):

England have named an unchanged squad for their three-Test series against West Indies starting next month, with Barbadian fast-bowling sensation Jofra Archer still sweating on qualification.

National selector Ed Smith said the 23-year-old was not considered for selection, with the player's county Sussex saying he was likely to qualify "at some point in March 2019".

England's tour of the Caribbean runs from January 23 to March 10 and comprises three Tests, five one-day internationals and three Twenty20 Internationals.

It was hoped that with the England and Wales Cricket Board reducing its eligibility criteria from seven years to three, Archer would be fast-tracked into the squad.

"At the moment, Jofra Archer is not available for selection for the England squad, so he wasn't considered, so he's not selected, so that's it," Smith was quoted as saying.

Still buoyed by their recent triumph in Sri Lanka, England kept faith with the same 16-man squad for the white-ball series, which opens at historic Kensington Oval on January 23.

The Joe Root-skippered Test side retains the likes of recent debutants Ben Foakes and opener Rory Burns, with veteran seamers James Anderson and Stuart Broad also included.

SQUADS: Test: Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, Jimmy Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Ben Foakes, Keaton Jennings, Jack Leach, Adil Rashid, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes

ODI: Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.