Jamie Overton will make his debut in the Test against New Zealand on Thursday in Headingley, replacing James Anderson, as England captain Ben Stokes confirmed a lone change to the team that sealed the series with his five-port victory at Trent Bridge last week.
Stokes, who himself had been a concern after missing training due to illness on Tuesday, attended a training session on Wednesday morning after linking up with the squad, and will lead the team in search of a 3-0 series victory after a double of uplifting performances at Lord’s and Trent Bridge.
Anderson, who claimed 11 points at 6.63pm in the first two tests to reaffirm his lead in England, will leave the match with an ankle ache, in part in view of the fifth delayed test of the week. coming against India at Edgbaston, which begins. three days after the end of the Headingley match, and that England must win to secure a part of the series which was postponed last year due to the Covid scare.
“Unfortunately, Jimmy hasn’t thrown as much as we’d like, so Jamie Overton will make his debut this week,” Stokes confirmed during his pre-match press conference.
This solitary change means that, after all, England will not be presenting twins in the same event for the first time in their history, with Jamie’s brother Craig being an unused member of the team.
Under the previous regime, Stuart Broad could have been considered to rest after consecutive matches, but in accordance with England’s new policy of choosing the best XI available for each match, he will continue as a senior presence of the seam attack.
Jamie Overton’s debut comes four and a half years after his brother Craig made his first appearance in England, and comes as a reward for a good start to the season with Surrey, for whom he has claimed 21 ports in the 21 years old and has been bowling constantly. above 90 mph / 145 km / h.
England 1 Alex Lees, 2 Zak Crawley, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Jonny Bairstow, 6 Ben Stokes (capital), 7 Ben Foakes (week), 8 Jamie Overton, 9 Stuart Broad, 10 Matt Potts, 11 Jack Leach.