England have given Ben Duckett a rest for the T20 series against South Africa as Sam Curran joins the squad

Duckett is out after a busy summer across all formats, while Curran is called up following his superb recent form; watch England vs South Africa live on Sky Sports, with a third live broadcast from the Utilita Bowl on Sunday (on air at 10.30am, first ball at 11am).

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The Sky Sports Cricket team discuss the news that Ben Duckett has been rested ahead of the upcoming T20 series against South Africa.

England's Ben Duckett will miss the T20 series in South Africa, which starts next week.

The 30-year-old was rested after a busy summer across all formats of the game, while Surrey all-rounder Sam Curran was called into the squad for the first time this year.

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The first clash of the three-match series takes place at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Wednesday and will be shown live on Sky Sports.

After back-to-back one-day defeats against South Africa, England made a decisive comeback to secure a series win for the tourists ahead of their third and final 50-over match in Southampton, which will be shown on Sky Sports Cricket on Sunday. The T20 series then begins, followed by a similar series against Ireland.

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England's Ben Duckett is knocked down by South African Keshav Maharaj early in the first over of the one-day over as he attempts a reverse swing.

There were calls for Duckett to be given a break ahead of the winter Ashes tournament after the left-hander looked unusually subdued in the Metro Bank series against the Proteas.

He is a first-team regular ready to play a major role against Australia this winter, but a gruelling summer of five full Test matches against India followed by a month of The Hundred has taken its toll.

Duckett was out of form during his spell with the Birmingham Phoenix in August and failed to find a rhythm as South Africa won at Headingley and Lord's. He will now miss three 20-over games against the Proteas next week, although it is not yet known whether he will retain his place in the starting line-up for the third one-dayer on Sunday in Southampton.

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England's Ben Duckett is bowled by a superb delivery and South Africa's Nandre Burger takes his first wicket in the second one-day international.

Captain Harry Brooke rejected the idea that Duckett should be rested immediately after the narrow defeat at Lord's, but that decision has since been reconsidered behind the scenes.

That includes an olive branch for the previously unpopular Curran. The Surrey all-rounder has not played for his country this year, his departure coinciding with the arrival of head coach Brendon McCullum at the helm of the white-ball side, but he has enjoyed a strong season on the domestic scene.

He was a key component of the Oval Invincibles' triumphant Hundred team and developed an eye-catching slower ball.

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The Oval Invincibles' Sam Curran took two wickets bowling at just 47mph during this year's Hundred

Curran has been named in the T20 squad for the South Africa clash and will also join the squad for the three-match trip to Ireland. England's lack of a seam-hitting all-rounder was on display as the Proteas won the series on Thursday, thrashing part-timers Will Jacks and Jacob Bethell to make 112 in 10 overs. Curran is poised to be a ready-made solution.

Meanwhile, Matthew Potts will not travel to Malahide and will instead take part in the final match of the Rothesay County Championship in Durham.

Brod: I think there are some jaded minds

England great Stuart Broad has anticipated a rethink of the squad by analysing England's successive defeats and suggesting that some all-rounders were at the limit of their abilities.

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Stuart Broad discusses England's current form following one-day series defeat to South Africa

“I thought the England team looked a bit tired. That's understandable, I'm not trying to find fault,” he told Sky Sports Cricket.

“They played 25 days of hard, tenacious cricket against India in a Test series and then two days later they hit a hundred. Now they are playing a white-ball series and the winter is getting busier.”

“Now that they've lost this series, I'd be tempted to send Ben Duckett and Joe Root down the M1 (home) rather than to Southampton for the third one-dayer.

“I think some minds are jaded. The group looks tired. I always look at body language when I'm on the pitch to see how things are going and he seemed a bit sluggish. It's a bit of a problem.”

England vs South Africa matches

All live on Sky Sports, anytime in the UK and Ireland 🕰️

  • First ODI (Headingley): South Africa win by seven wickets
  • 2nd ODI (Lord's): South Africa win by five runs
  • 3rd ODI: Sunday, September 7 (11:00) – Utilita Bowl
  • First T20: Wednesday 10 September (18:30) – Sophie Gardens, Cardiff
  • Second T20: Friday 12 September (18:30) – Emirates Old Trafford
  • Third T20: Sunday 14th September (14:30) – Trent Bridge

England vs Ireland matches

All live on Sky Sports, anytime in the UK and Ireland 🕰️

  • First T20: Wednesday 17 September (13:30) – Malahide, Dublin
  • Second T20: Friday 19 September (13:30) – Malahide, Dublin
  • Third T20: Sunday 21 September (13:30) – Malahide, Dublin

Watch England v South Africa live on Sky Sports, with the third ODI taking place at the Utilita Bowl on Sunday (on air at 10.30am, first ball at 11am). Watch without a contract.

Sourse: skysports.com

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