Jos Buttler admits frustration with packed match schedule as England draw series

Jos Buttler admits he is frustrated with England’s intense match schedule after his hopes of overseeing a first white-ball series victory since taking over the captaincy were scuppered due to rainy weather at Headingley.

The one-day international series was drawn 1-1 after less than 28 overs of play were possible in Leeds, with one rain delay and resumption before the game was called in the first innings with South Africa on 159 for two.

In Buttler’s first month since taking over from World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan, he has had to contend with a hectic schedule of cricket as well as dealing with a hole in the team following the ODI retirement of Ben Stokes.

England are currently nine games into a hectic period which will see them take to the field 12 times in 24 days and they have had just one dedicated training day so far during that time, something the new captain revealed has been challenging.

“It’s tough,” Buttler said after the washed-out ODI in West Yorkshire. “A lot of the time around training is when you do your best work, away from the pressures of the game, having good conversations and having a feel for where the group is at.

“And not just always in game mode, preparing for guys on the day. To get the highest standard of cricket possible, you need to prepare properly. Hopefully that’s something we can look at going forward.

“As a new captain, just having that time to bed in and do that work around your players and with your coaches.

“That’s been a frustration to be truthfully honest – it would be nice to have that time to do the work.

“But we don’t, so you just have to adapt and find the best way. It’s been a good challenge.”

Buttler’s England went into the final game looking to avoid the prospect of a