England captain Ben Stokes confirmed right-handed batter Dan Lawrence is on standby ahead of his side’s second Test against the West Indies at Trent Bridge. Notably, Lawrence is on standby because Ben Duckett is awaiting the birth of his first child and has been included in England’s playing eleven for the match. However, if Duckett needs to be with his fiancée Paige for the birth of their child before the toss, Lawrence will replace him in the playing XI as a contingency plan.
“There is a plan in place for Ben and his partner,” Stokes said at the pre-match press conference on Wednesday. “We will have to make a decision if it happens before the game and we are batting. If it happens during the Test, Ben will go and then return to the team. He is incredibly eager to play this Test match, but the message from me and Baz (head coach Brendon McCullum) is that family comes first. Whatever decision he makes, he has our full support.”
Stokes also confirmed that Gus Atkinson will share the new ball with Chris Woakes following the retirement of veteran pacer James Anderson at Lord’s. Atkinson impressed on his Test debut, taking 12-106 and playing a crucial role in England’s victory by an innings and 114 runs. “I said last week that when I first saw Gus live in the World Cup in India, he had all the attributes of a very, very good bowler,” Stokes remarked. “A lot of it has to do with the Dukes ball and how it behaves. There hasn’t been much movement in the air with the new ball; it’s generally off the surface, hitting the seam, and Gus is very good at that.”
Stokes further elaborated on the strategy involving Atkinson and Mark Wood, who has come into the eleven following Anderson’s retirement. “At 10-12 overs, you get a buff on one side and that is when it really starts to swing, so that is where me and Woody come in,” he explained. “Finding another bowler who can bowl between 87 and 90mph is very exciting. Gus Atkinson running in from one end and Mark Wood from the other is a great prospect. Woody had an unbelievable Ashes last summer and made a massive impact due to his pace. Bowling at 94mph with the ball swinging is going to be tough for anyone.”
Stokes concluded by acknowledging the competition for places in the team. “We picked what we felt was the best XI in the squad. Woody is one of our best bowlers, and while there will be opportunities for Dillon this summer, at this moment in time, Woody makes it into our best XI.”