Archer and Wood injured; Buttler, Stokes rested for Ireland Test
Thursday 18 July 2019 16:57, UK
Opener Jason Roy will make his England Test debut against Ireland at Lord's next week after starring in England's World Cup triumph, but paceman Jofra Archer is injured with a side strain.
Roy, 28, has not played a first-class match since November and batted only three times in Surrey's winning County Championship campaign last summer, scoring one hundred and a fifty.
But he gets his chance after helping to propel England to their first 50-over global title, striking five scores of over 50 in seven innings in the tournament.
Roy replaces Keaton Jennings in the squad after the opener averaged 15.50 in England's last Test series - the 2-1 defeat to West Indies in Feburary.
Reflecting on Roy's call-up, ECB National Selector Ed Smith said: "It's no secret that we all rate Jason very highly and we all have total confidence that he will be able to adapt to Test cricket and demonstrate his skill and aura and talent with the bat out in the middle in red-ball cricket.
"It just felt like a really good time to select Jason; he was coming out of a World Cup with great success and great confidence. It's a short turnaround into the Ashes."
Wicketkeeper batsman Jos Buttler and all-rounder Ben Stokes are rested for the Test against Ireland after playing pivotal roles in England's World Cup triumph but are both included in a 16-man pre-Ashes training camp squad to take place this weekend at St George's Park.
Archer - uncapped at Test level - is not included in either squad and will travel to Barbados for a short break before returning ahead of the Ashes, for which he remains in contention.
Durham fast bowler Mark Wood is sidelined for between four to six weeks after picking up a side strain in Sunday's World Cup final, ruling him out of at least the first two Tests but not the entire series.
James Anderson is included in both squads but may not play against Ireland as he continues his rehabilitation from a calf injury although Smith admitted it's not clear when the veteran seamer will be available.
Somerset all-rounder Lewis Gregory, 27, earns his first call-up to the Test squad after impressing for England Lions and Somerset - returning 44 wickets at an average of 13.88. He is currently captaining the England Lions against Australia XI in a tour match at Canterbury.
Warwickshire seamer Olly Stone, who made his England ODI debut last winter in Sri Lanka, earns his second call-up to the Test squad after recovering from a back injury.
Smith reflected: "It's not clear if Anderson will play at Lord's - that's one of the reasons why we have 13, not 12 in the squad. Anderson is making very good progress; he's very fit and he's very resilient, he knows his own body very well.
"If he's fit to play without risk in the Ireland Test match, that's one possibility. If it's deemed as significant risk he will not play and also the third option is that he would play with slightly limited overs.
"The structure of the team is we will play six bowlers plus Joe Denly and Joe Root, so we will have lots of bowling options and that will enable the bowlers to get the right amount of work into them before the Ashes."
Joe Root (Yorkshire) captain, Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jimmy Anderson (Lancashire), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Rory Burns (Surrey), Sam Curran (Surrey), Joe Denly (Kent), Lewis Gregory (Somerset), Jack Leach (Somerset), Jason Roy (Surrey), Olly Stone (Warwickshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)
Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jimmy Anderson (Lancashire), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Rory Burns (Surrey), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Sam Curran (Surrey), Joe Denly (Kent), Lewis Gregory (Somerset), Jack Leach (Somerset), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Ben Stokes (Durham), Olly Stone (Warwickshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Mark Wood (Durham).
England face Ireland in a one-off Test followed by the Ashes. Make sure you catch all the action on Sky Sports Cricket on July 24, on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Cricket from 10am.
