England captain Eoin Morgan happy with packed schedule

The Trans-Tasman contest, co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, sees each side play each other twice before a showpiece final in Auckland – a familiar format in the 50-over game but a first for its shorter cousin.

England begin against Australia in Hobart this morning and, if successful, face the prospect of five games in a fortnight, having played just seven T20s in the whole of 2017.

As a limited-overs specialist that appeals to Morgan, even if it proves the exception rather than the rule in an increasingly crowded fixture list.

“I’m a massive fan of tri-series, they bring the competitive nature out in every team,” he said.

“In a tournament basis you have the carrot of a final at the end, so I’m all for them. If we could play more, we would but I don’t think it’s viable with travel schedules around the world.”

England were without four players when the tuned up for the series with a demolition job on the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra, but are looking healthier after a couple of days in Tasmania.

Jason Roy and Alex Hales are due to reclaim their positions at the head of the innings, despite Yorkshire’s David Willey smashing Ashes-winning spinner Nathan Lyon for 34 in an over when asked to deputise.

Roy has recovered well from back spasms and has been batting normally in the nets, while the hand injury Hales sustained when dropping a chance in the final match of the one-day series has settled well.

In the seam department Chris Jordan is fit to go after shaking off a minor hamstring complaint but Yorkshire pace bowler Liam Plunkett, who also injured a hamstring in the third ODI, is not quite ready for action.