Phil Salt has been put on red alert to play in his first World Cup match in the semi-final against India.
The Lancashire batter, who proved his class earlier this winter with 88 not out against Pakistan in Lahore, will slot into the side in place of the injured Dawid Malan who appeared to come up short in his fitness test at the Adelaide Oval on Wednesday.
There were encouraging signs that Malan could make it back in time for the final if England get there on Sunday, but Thursday’s game is likely to be too soon for a full recovery from his groin strain.
There was increased concern too for Mark Wood who was rather more active in his fitness assessment, sprinting on the outfield before bowling a couple of overs in the nets well under full speed. Both Wood and Malan will be given as long as possible to prove their fitness, but it would not be a surprise if neither man made it to the start line.
“We will see how they pull up,” said skipper Jos Buttler. “We are trying to give them as long as possible. Dawid was out the other day with a small niggle, Woody has had a bit of stiffness. We trust the medical team, we trust the two guys as well. We will give them as long as possible.
“You need guys to be fit to participate in the game. I think in all sports you have players who don't always play at 100 percent but of course you have to be able to fulfil your role. As always we have 15 guys preparing to play. We have some fantastic players who have not yet played in the tournament and they will be desperate to make their mark if given a chance.”
It is likely that Chris Jordan would be the man to slot into Wood’s place as a death bowler who has also added some pace this year, while Salt is Malan’s ready made replacement. And Buttler is in no doubt that his county team-mate will be ready for the job if he gets the nod.
“I think Phil has a fantastic mindset, especially for the T20 format,” said Buttler. “He certainly doesn't fear anyone and is someone who wants to get on the front foot and take the game on.
“He embodies quite a lot of what we speak about as a team and how we ask guys to play. Certainly I wouldn't expect to see anything else from him if he gets the chance to play. He's someone who's not going to shy away from an occasion. I feel like he's someone who will definitely take it on.”
