LONDON, June 8: England on Wednesday called off-spinner Gareth Batty into their one-day squad as cover for the injured Ashley Giles. Giles has been troubled this season by a hip injury which counted him out against Bangladesh, and he is not expected to be match fit until late June or early July.
There seems little prospect of Giles featuring in the NatWest Series which features England, Bangladesh and Australia, and begins June 16.
Batty stood in for Giles in the Bangladesh Tests, and could play in Monday’s Twenty20 International against the Australians, England’s first meeting with Ricky Ponting’s side this Ashes summer.—AFP