England ponder three-man spin attack

England limited overs captain Eoin Morgan has said his team could take the unusual option of playing three spinners in their opening one-day international against Pakistan at Southampton on Wednesday.

Recent dry conditions in the UK, as well as the need to prepare for the spin-friendly pitches that England will encounter on their upcoming tours of Bangladesh and India, could prompt a change of approach in the first of a five-match series.

As a result, Hampshire left-arm spinner Liam Dawson could make his ODI debut on his home ground along with off-spinner Moeen Ali and leg-break bowler Adil Rashid.

"Having Liam Dawson brings the option of playing three spinners and that is something we might have to take into consideration as we look ahead to the winter tours of Bangladesh and India," Morgan told reporters at Southampton on Tuesday.

"It will be a very tough series against Pakistan, especially as the recent weather means conditions may suit them more than they suit us initially. It is a good test leading into the winter."

England last played three spinners in an ODI against the West Indies in March 2014, when Moeen partnered left-armers James Tredwell and Stephen Parry, but it's almost unheard of for an ODI in the UK.

Morgan said he expected Alex Hales to return to form in white-ball cricket after the Nottinghamshire opener struggled in the drawn 2-2 Test series against Pakistan, managing just 145 runs at an average of 18.12.

"Alex played very well in the limited-overs matches in South Africa last winter even though he didn't have the best time in the Tests," said Morgan.

"He played out of his skin. I have been in that position before and it's a nice feeling to be able to play with freedom in white-ball cricket. He has the backing of everyone."

Allrounder Ben Stokes is back in the squad after a calf injury but, despite bowling in the nets, Morgan said the paceman would play as a batsman only in at least the first two ODIs.

Meanwhile, Pakistan one-day captain Azhar Ali wants to see his team take the form that had made them the world's number one-ranked Test side into the 50-over format.

Azhar was a member of the Pakistan team that drew the Test series and is hoping that momentum will continue on into ODI cricket, where they are currently ranked ninth in the world and are in danger of missing out on automatic qualification for the 2019 World Cup in England.

But Azhar is confident the team's white-ball fortunes can be turned around following what was, to many observers, their surprise effort in winning two Tests in English conditions.

"Confidence is very high and belief is there, obviously coming from the Test series, we had a very good couple of months here," Azhar told reporters at Southampton on Tuesday. "We take that confidence into the one-day internationals as well.

"Being number one is a massive boost and a proud moment for Pakistan cricket and the whole nation is very happy about it, and as players the team is really happy about it.

"It's definitely a good thing for us. Our one-day ranking is not great right now but we will take the opportunity and the way the team is performing, hopefully we can convert it into ODIs as well."

England's one-day cricket has been on an upward curve since their embarrassing first-round exit at last year's World Cup and Azhar is among those who've been impressed by how Eoin Morgan's side have bounced back in the 50-over format.

"The way England started playing after the World Cup, they played a lot of attacking, fearless cricket and they've been performing very well," he said. "We know that and we have to be aggressive against them as well.

"We are all very confident. No one rated us very highly -- a few people said we would be competitive but there were doubts if we could win the Test matches here.

"But the boys really believed in the Test matches, so here also we believe we can do it."