This has been a strange halfway house of a series, billed as the start of England’s final World Cup preparation and yet dominated by talk of a player who, as things stand, will not be there.
While half of Jos Buttler’s squad were head to Cardiff on Wednesday to continue their build-up to next month’s 50-over showpiece in India, Harry Brook was among those on his way home, the door to the World Cup still ajar, but not exactly being held open, after England decided against adding the young batter to their ranks for the four ODIs against New Zealand, which start in the Welsh capital on Friday.
