Ollie Robinson has been dominated out of England’s first Take a look at towards the West Indies with a again spasm, with uncapped seamer Saqib Mahmood getting into the squad.
Robinson pulled up halfway by means of an over through the warm-up match towards a CWI President’s XI and was unable to participate in coaching on Sunday.
England have been already unlikely to gamble on the 28-year-old’s health however that settled the problem, permitting Mahmood to take his spot in a 12-man squad.
Interim head coach Paul Collingwood and captain Joe Root should now determine whether or not handy the Lancashire fast a debut on Tuesday in an all-seam assault or keep on with the number of Jack Leach’s left-arm spin.
Craig Overton appears sure to play, whereas Mark Wooden has recovered from sickness, however with document wicket-takers James Anderson and Stuart Broad controversially dropped for the tour, issues over the depth of the tempo assault is the very last thing the vacationers needed.
“Ollie is a gifted bowler. Naturally he’ll be a giant miss,” stated Chris Woakes, who’s the senior bowler on the journey.
“He’s proven in his brief Take a look at profession up to now that he’s actually received the talents and the flexibility to do good issues within the format. On the identical time, it provides folks alternatives.
“We’re making an attempt to win video games cricket right here, but it surely does give that probability to somebody to probably make their Take a look at debut who’s been ready within the wings for fairly some time to indicate what they will can do at this degree.
“Jimmy and Stuart have bowled fantastically for England over a protracted time period and clearly they’re going to be missed however we’ve got to deal with what we’ve got right here and the way we’re going to win this Take a look at collection.
“No doubt they’re two of England’s greats. To lose each of them, for them not be on this tour goes to depart a gap. Nevertheless it provides nice alternatives to others to step up and put in some sturdy performances and put their case ahead.”
Woakes is grateful that he was spared the identical destiny as his two skilled team-mates following the 4-0 thrashing Down Beneath.
Having simply turned 33, and along with his six Australian wickets costing a hefty 55.33, he realises he might simply have been a type of watching from dwelling. With head coach Chris Silverwood, assistant Graham Thorpe and director of cricket Ashley Giles, he feels for individuals who did pay the worth.
“Yeah, I feared for my place, positively. It will have been foolish to not,” he stated.
“So I’m delighted to be right here, to be backed and have one other alternative to have a crack at it. One thing I took away from Australia is ensuring you don’t take enjoying for England without any consideration. We work so extremely onerous to get up to now, to develop into an England participant….but it surely’s simply taken away from you.
“You by no means like seeing folks lose their jobs or positions in a group. As a participant, I believe you’re feeling a bit responsible. I believe you’re feeling a bit gutted and just a little little bit of guilt in your half however, on the identical time, issues transfer ahead and we’ve got to stay up for making an attempt to win video games of cricket for England now.
“Naturally you’re disillusioned and really feel for them, however all of us come into this group, you’re round it for a time period and then you definately transfer on and the group remains to be right here. The England cricket group is larger than anybody and you need to keep in mind that and attempt to do in addition to you may whilst you’re right here and preserve taking the cap ahead.”
Chris Woakes stated: “The England cricket group is larger than anybody and you need to keep in mind that and attempt to do in addition to you may whilst you’re right here and preserve taking the cap ahead.”
England’s process within the Caribbean is a tricky one, with only one collection win on these islands since 1968. Final time they visited Antigua in 2019 they have been skittled twice for lower than 200 because the hosts celebrated a 10-wicket win.
Woakes has revealed that teamwork has been a key focus of their preparations, hinting that there was a rising development of individualism through the Ashes.
“In Australia perhaps (we) received into a spot the place folks have been pondering extra internally, pondering on private ranges reasonably than pondering absolutely in regards to the larger image and about win video games of cricket as a group,” he defined.
“The final week or so we’ve tried to work on how we will get higher at doing issues as a unit reasonably than individually. We nonetheless must be higher as a collective, we will’t simply depend on sure people to at all times step up and put their hand up.”
