LONDON: Alex Hales was left out of England’s ODI squad for next month’s three-match series in the West Indies announced on Friday because of a broken hand, with Test spearhead Stuart Broad also omitted.

Hales’s absence was the only change to the 15-man squad that recently lost ODI series in India. England will now take a 14-strong party to the Caribbean, with no replacement selected for the Nottinghamshire opening batsman.

That should mean Sam Billings has more opportunities to secure his place alongside Jason Roy ahead of the Champions Trophy in England in June.

Meanwhile, England’s selectors have showed faith in their existing bowling group, with no recalls for the pace trio of Broad, Steven Finn and all-rounder Chris Jordan.

England’s quick bowling had been in the spotlight following the various struggles of Jake Ball, Liam Plunkett and David Willey to prove a consistent threat on placid Indian pitches.

Broad, 30, who has played just two ODIs since England’s miserable 2015 World Cup campaign, is keen to continue his career in international white-ball cricket and impressed recently during a brief stint with the Hobart Hurricanes in Twenty20 Big Bash.

But Friday’s squad announcement indicates England see his international future as a Test specialist.

“There is a huge emphasis on white ball cricket during the first half of 2017, as we continue our preparation ahead of this summer’s ICC Champions Trophy tournament in England,” said chairman of selectors James Whitaker in an England and Wales Cricket Board statement.

Squad: Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire), Jake Ball (Nottinghamshire), Sam Billings (Kent), Jos Buttler (Lancashire, wicket-keeper), Liam Dawson (Hampshire), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex, captain), Liam Plunkett (Yorkshire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Ben Stokes (Durham), David Willey (Yorkshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire).

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2017