The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Sunday named a 14-member squad for the opening two Checks of the upcoming three-match collection towards West Indies, beginning on July 10 at Lord’s Cricket Floor. The squad encompasses a mix of expertise and thrilling new abilities.
Two gamers earn maiden call-ups
Two uncapped gamers have been handed their maiden Check call-ups: skillful seamer Dillon Pennington and wicket-keeper batter Jamie Smith. Their inclusion provides a contact of youthful exuberance to the squad.
Legendary quick bowler James Anderson finds himself in a singular place. Set to retire after the primary Check at Lord’s, he’ll solely characteristic within the collection opener, providing followers an opportunity to witness him grace the long-lasting floor one final time in whites.
Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes miss out
The notable absences of Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes will elevate eyebrows. With Smith included as the first wicket-keeping choice, Ollie Pope, who final donned the gloves for England in 2022, could also be referred to as upon as a backup.
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Tempo powerhouse and spin conundrum
Tempo bowling stays England’s energy, with the likes of Anderson, Pennington, Matthew Potts, Gus Atkinson and the returning Chris Woakes bolstering the assault. Woakes, the Participant of the Collection through the 2023 Ashes win, makes a welcome comeback after a year-long absence from Check cricket.
The spin division sees Shoaib Bashir because the lead spinner, with Jack Leach lacking out on choice. This choice highlights England’s ongoing seek for a dependable spin associate alongside their tempo assault.
The three-match Check collection kicks off on July 10 at Lord’s, adopted by the second Check at Trent Bridge in Nottingham (July 18-22) and the ultimate Check at Edgbaston in Birmingham (July 26-30).
England shall be seeking to dominate their residence turf towards the West Indies, whereas the guests shall be aiming to trigger an upset and declare a historic collection win. With a mix of expertise and thrilling new prospects, this collection guarantees to be an intriguing battle between bat and ball.
England squad For first two Checks towards West Indies
Ben Stokes (c), James Anderson (First Check solely), Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Dillon Pennington, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes