ENGLAND T20 TRACKER: Who is starring in the Blast and who is set for Ashes action at Old Trafford?

It's time for The Cricketer to use its unique algorithm to establish who should make the journey to Australia for next year's T20 World Cup by looking at performances in the final week of the Blast group stage and the Ashes

1 (1) - Ben Stokes: There is little more to say about England's allrounder that has not already been said, but regardless England will be looking to their allrounder for the big moments in Manchester. A certain pick nevertheless for Australia next year, if not the captain if Eoin Morgan decides to call it a day, Stokes' horrow show in Kolkata in the previous World T20 is well and truly a thing of the past.

2 (2) - Jofra Archer: Will resume his battle with Steve Smith after the news that the Australian has recovered from concussion, but after the to-and-fro between himself and Smith off the field, it will be time for on-the-field matters to take precedence again. Another certainty for the World T20, proving he can hack it at the death after his super over brilliance at Lord's in July.

3 (3) - Jos Buttler: It hasn't been the greatest summer for the wicketkeeper with the bat, with his place in the batting lineup in Test match cricket still up for much debate. However, he remains England's most dangerous T20 batsman with his power and and bat swing to take any bowling attack apart. When the white-ball stuff does return to the calendar, Buttler will most likely return to his best form.

4 (4) - Joe Root: The England Test captain was subject to much scrutiny on both a personal and collective level before his partnership with Joe Denly and Ben Stokes' magic. However, with that lifeline secured he will now need to push on and reclaim the Ashes. England's premier batsman should still be involved in the T20 setup next year even if he does not possess the swashbuckling shots of his teammates.

5 (5) - Jason Roy: A lifeline of his own after it was confirmed that he would move down the batting order and Joe Denly would open in Manchester, Jason Roy is facing one of the most critical games of his England career on Wednesday. However, irrespective of whether he finds a new home in the middle order or succumbs yet again, he will be on the plane for the World T20. Those shots that have got him out in the Ashes have brought in many runs in white-ball cricket, and with a Mzansi Super League gig coming up for Nelson Mandela Bay Giants, he will have time to get into T20 mode for Australia.

^{Joe Root will look to complete England's Ashes comeback at Old Trafford}

6 (8) – Eoin Morgan: Played one of the best T20 Blast innings in the history of the competition with 83 runs off just 29 balls to see Middlesex home to the highest successful chase in the competition against Somerset. Whether he will choose to continue his England journey remains to be seen, but there is currently no batsman in better form than the current captain.

7 (9) - David Willey: Not the greatest season for David Willey after his World Cup omission, but the Yorkshire allrounder signed off from the Blast with an impressive display against Northamptonshire. He took four of the Northants' top five and set up an impressive victory. He will not compete in the Mzansi Super League due to the need to manage his workload, but he will need to be in tip-top condition for the next scheduled games if he is to make the World T20.

8 (6) – Moeen Ali: No win in their last two completed games proved trivial as Worcestershire just made it through to the Blast quarter-finals, and they have been boosted by an upturn in fortune for Moeen Ali. The Worcestershire skipper has had a torrid summer with England after being dropped from both the ODI and Test side, but a defence of their title will be a nice end to a disappointing summer. Should be on the plane for next year as when on song there are few better allrounders in the country.

9 (7) - Jonny Bairstow: Much like white-ball opening partner Roy, Jonny Bairstow has had a horrendous patch of form with the bat in red-ball cricket, but will no doubt be on the plane next year after starting to enjoy franchise stints this year with Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL.

10 (10) – Liam Plunkett: Overlooked for the Mzansi Super League player draft but could still be a reliable option for England in Australia if he still holds the desire to play on for England. A useful, skilful bowler who still has everything in the locker for the T20 format and a hard-hitting lower-order batsman, there is certainty in the skills if not in the length of his international career right now.

^{Eoin Morgan's knock saw Middlesex create Blast history}

11 (11) - Adil Rashid: The World Cup winner will feel threatened as he continues his comeback from a shoulder injury that has ruled him out of playing before England's winter schedule. However, an excellent World Cup playing with the injury and his recent success in England colours means he remains the frontrunner for the spinner's spot.

12 (14) - Liam Livingstone: An overseas pick for Cape Town Blitz in the Mzansi Super League, Liam Livingstone has been rewarded for his impressive spells in the PSL and IPL. Whether these franchise stints will result in a T20 World Cup spot remains to be seen, but he is certainly putting his best foot forward for Lancashire in the Blast.

13 (12) - Sam Curran: A quiet week for Sam Curran as Surrey bowed out of the Blast, with just two wickets altogether against Somerset and Essex, while recording two single-figure scores against those sides. Has once again not been selected for the Ashes, but he may hold a better chance of playing in the World T20 even if he does not hold the MSL contract that brother Tom does.

14 (16) - Alex Hales: The Nottinghamshire opener has signed a new white-ball deal this week with the county, and despite a poor outing against Durham is finding some sort of rhythm in the Blast ahead of the quarter-finals. Hales will not be missing out on the T20 World Cup due to talent but rather if he has not been forgiven for his recreational drug use which saw him miss the 50-over World Cup. Controlling all he can at the moment, an England recall is largely out of his control.

15 (13) - Sam Billings: Kent will be left rueing not making the most of their excellent start to the Blast and their slide down the table which saw them not qualify for the quarter-finals, but the positive is that captain Sam Billings is back playing consistently. A half-century against Gloucestershire wasn't enough for a win, but before Kent look to right the wrongs next year, Billings will hope for opportunities abroad to further his cause for a World T20 spot.

16 (16) - Tom Banton: Not quiet the mesmeric innings Somerset fans have been accustomed to, but Tom Banton is well and truly in the mix for a spot on the plane to Australia. His wristwork when reverse hitting is unparalleled and the brilliant 20-year-old should soon get his chance to impress on the international stage in New Zealand.

17 (18) - Matthew Parkinson: No one has taken more Blast wickets this year than Matthew Parkinson, and the brilliant legspinner has developed variations and flight to deceive many a batsman in the competition. Adil Rashid's recovery from a shoulder problem will largely determine the extent to which Parkinson will be granted opportunities on the international stage ahead of the World T20, but alongside Banton, Parkinson has been the most impressive youngster of the season.

18 (17) - Dawid Malan: The Middlesex skipper watched on as Eoin Morgan produced the magic against Somerset, but it has been an incredibly fruitful campaign so far for Dawid Malan. No one in the Middlesex side has scored more than his 414 runs, and if he can lead his side to a Blast triump he may get a look in despite England's seemingly settled middle order.

^{No one has taken more Blast wickets this year than Matthew Parkinson}

19 (22) - Liam Dawson: It is that word reliability that everyone comes back to when the Hampshire allrounder's name is mentioned. While his teammates were put to the sword by Glamorgan's batsmen, Liam Dawson managed to snare key man Colin Ingram and return an economy of just 6.25. Less effective against Middlesex and his score of 22 against Glamorgan may not border on matchwinning, Dawson's control on all surfaces could nevertheless be a valuable asset for England next year.

20 (24) - Mason Crane: Back into the side after injury, Mason Crane certainly made his presence felt by taking two critical wickets of Dawid Malan and Mohammed Hafeez in Hampshire's defeat of Middlesex. Claiming the wicket of Shaun Marsh against Glamorgan reinforced the notion that he can take wickets at any stage and is the big riser from the outside contenders for the World T20.

21 (19) - Chris Jordan: Sussex may have qualified for the Blast quarter-finals as the winners of the South Group, but it has been an inconsistent run for the seamer. A economy rate that does not do justice to his skill set and failure to get going with the bat has seen him in and out of the sides, as have injuries, but he did feature in the Pakistan T20I series before the World Cup, and therefore has a strong England history behind him.

22 (20) - Steven Finn: The Middlesex man has taken 19 wickets in the Blast this season, and while their supporters have enjoyed his rejuvenation there was a reminder that he still has aspects of his game to work on. An economy against Somerset of 14.25 damaged his overall Blast figures, but there is still so much to admire about the seamer despite chances of a recall being slim.

23 (21) - Saqib Mahmood: If England are looking for a death-overs specialists, their calls may be answered by another Lancashire youngster. Seven wickets this year may not paint the picture of a fast bowler able to tear batting orders to shreds, nor will an economy of 9.13, but given that he bowls at the toughest stage of the innings so early on in his career and the fact that he is still working on his variations are positive signs for the future, even if the World T20 does come too soon.

24 (23) - Pat Brown: Has been there or there abouts for Worcestershire without really setting the stage on fire, the 21-year-old fast bowler is certainly a man England will keep their eye on for the future. However, stiff competition for places in the fast bowling spots will likely see him miss out, particularly as he has not been able to repeat his performances which led to him to the top of the wicket taking charts in 2018.

25 (25) - Tymal Mills: The fast bowler has seen a back injury prevent him from taking part in Sussex's attempt at achieving Blast glory after the heartbreak of last season, 2019 has added further frustration on top of the left-armer. With chances limited without worldwide franchise cricket until the World T20, Mills' chances of appearing in Australia appear to be ebbing away.