**Manchester Weather Cancels T20 Decider as England Appoints Another New Captain**
The gloomy Manchester weather once again disrupted an eagerly anticipated cricket clash between England and Australia, as the deciding third T20 international at Old Trafford was washed out.
With the series tied at one win each—Australia taking the first match by 28 runs in Southampton and England bouncing back with a three-wicket victory in Cardiff—the stage was set for an exciting finale. However, rain had the final say, echoing last year’s Ashes series when inclement weather also denied a decisive result in the fourth Test.
“It’s disappointing,” said Australia captain Mitch Marsh, who had returned from illness and was ready to lead his team. “I thought it would have been great to finish with a deciding match today. Both teams played some excellent cricket, and now we move on to the one-day series.”
Marsh expressed his satisfaction with the promising young talents on his team, including Jake Fraser-McGurk, who scored his first international half-century in Cardiff. “We all know what an exciting talent he is,” Marsh remarked, highlighting their aim to provide younger players with opportunities throughout the series.
The match was ultimately abandoned in the afternoon after continuous rain from 7 a.m. local time rendered the outfield unplayable.
As the teams shift focus to the five-match ODI series starting Thursday at Trent Bridge, Marsh will face England’s new stand-in captain, Harry Brook. England’s regular captain, Jos Buttler, remains sidelined due to a calf injury, leading the team to turn to Brook, who becomes the third new captain of the summer.
Brook, a former England Under-19 captain and skipper of the Northern Superchargers during this year’s Hundred tournament, was eager to embrace his new role. “Harry texted me about 10 minutes ago, and I said, ‘I’m a bit busy at the minute,’” said caretaker coach Marcus Trescothick.
Trescothick emphasized the benefits of fresh leadership, noting that new captains can bring innovative ideas and help in planning for the future. Buttler indicated in an interview that he is considering stepping back from wicketkeeping to focus more on his captaincy.
As for the ODI squad, either Phil Salt or Jamie Smith is expected to take the gloves, while in-form Liam Livingstone, who shone in Cardiff, has been included.
**England’s ODI squad against Australia**: Harry Brook (captain), Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Jamie Smith, Olly Stone, Reece Topley, John Turner.
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