By Lawrence Booth for The Mail on Sunday
Published: 22:59 BST, 13 April 2019 | Updated: 22:59 BST, 13 April 2019
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Liam Plunkett's participation in this summer’s World Cup will feature heavily when the England selectors meet on Tuesday, amid concerns his pace has dropped below the levels that make him effective in the middle overs of a one-day international.
Plunkett, who recently turned 34, could yet be named in a preliminary 15-man squad for the tournament — but only because changes can be made until a week before it starts on May 30, with England against South Africa at The Oval.
That leaves open the strong possibility that Jofra Archer, the Barbados-born Sussex fast bowler with a British passport, will replace him — assuming he makes the right impression during England’s five-match one-day series against Pakistan, which begins on May 8.
The future of Liam Plunkett that is set to cause most consternation for England selectors
(England's initial 15-man squad for World Cup - possible)
Morgan (capt), Ali, Bairstow, Buttler (wkt), T Curran, Denly, Hales, Plunkett, Rashid, Root, Roy, Stokes, Willey, Woakes, Wood.
Archer, currently at the IPL, is not expected to be named in the initial World Cup squad, but is set to feature in an expanded 17-man party for the Pakistan series and a one-off ODI against Ireland in Malahide on May 3.
That larger squad will give England the option of resting the likes of Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali from the Ireland game, as well as a T20 match against Pakistan that precedes the 50-over series. All three have
