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Jos Buttler hopes to return from the calf injury that kept him out of the Hundred by focussing on Lancashire’s T20 Blast quarterfinal matchup against Sussex.
Rob Key, managing director, has endorsed Buttler, who hasn’t played since the T20 World Cup, to stay as England’s white-ball captain following Matthew Mott’s dismissal as head coach. He will collaborate with his former Somerset teammate Marcus Trescothick, the interim coach, in September’s Twenty20 and One Day International series against Australia.
Buttler has resumed training after suffering a calf injury during the Hundred preparations. He has been working with England physiotherapist Craig de Weymarn in Bristol.
“Another good session in the bank,” he wrote on Instagram this week, adding in another post: “Picking up injuries as a professional sportsman is always frustrating and I was gutted to miss the Hundred this year.”
Despite not playing for Lancashire this season, Buttler might yet make it to their quarterfinal match on September 4 in Hove, if he passes a late fitness test. Jofra Archer is anticipated to be available for Sussex, who were led by Tymal Mills to a second-place finish in the South Group. Archer might open the bowling to his England captain.
Lancashire is looking to salvage their season by making it to the T20 Blast Finals Day. They are fighting to stay in the County Championship’s second division and have won two of their eight Metro Bank Cup games.
“That’s looking really positive,” Dale Benkenstein, their coach, told on Sunday. “We should have everyone fit for the quarter-finals. Jos has been doing a lot of rehab. I’ve been in contact with him and he’s very keen to play. We are happy to leave it down to the last day.
“He’ll do a fitness test on the Monday, just before the game and with the England physios and everyone giving him the green light, then he’ll play. We are very keen that if he’s fit and ready to go then he’ll be playing.”
Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, and Phil Salt were rested from Lancashire’s Championship loss to Surrey this week, but they should be available for the T20 quarterfinal. While Chris Green is at the Caribbean Premier League, George Dockrell of Ireland will fill in.
The second and third Twenty20 Internationals against Australia are paired with Finals Day on September 14, and Buttler and other players included in England’s T20 squad won’t be available.