Overton takes break from red-ball cricket

DECISION RULES PACEMAN OUT OF ASHES CONTENTION

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ENGLAND all-rounder Jamie Overton has taken himself out of contention for this winter’s Ashes series — placing his red-ball career on hold in a move that took even his limited-overs captain Harry Brook by surprise.

The pace bowler won his second Test cap against India last month and had a strong chance of featuring in the squad for the hotly-anticipated trip to Australia, despite a mixed outing at the Kia Oval.

But the selectors will now need to look elsewhere after he shared his decision to focus exclusively on white-ball opportunities.

Durham's Matthew Potts could find himself moving back up the pecking order after being overlooked this year and the prospects of Hampshire's Sonny Baker making a late play for a spot on the plane increased when he was handed a debut ahead of Overton in today’s first Metro Bank ODI against South Africa.