Pace bowler Gus Atkinson and wicket-keeper Jamie Smith will make their Test debuts for England against West Indies on Wednesday in what will be James Anderson's farewell at Lord's. (More Cricket News)
James Anderson is preparing for his 188th and final Test this week as England start their three-match series against the West Indies
Pace bowler Gus Atkinson and wicket-keeper Jamie Smith will make their Test debuts for England against West Indies on Wednesday in what will be James Anderson's farewell at Lord's. (More Cricket News)
Anderson is preparing for his 188th and final Test this week as England start their three-match series against the Windies.
England's all-time leading wicket-taker will be joined by two new faces, however, as Surrey duo Atkinson and Smith have been named in Ben Stokes' confirmed XI.
Smith has got the nod ahead of Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes, who were both left out of Brendon McCullum's red-ball squad, while Atkinson will join Anderson and Chris Woakes in the bowling attack.
Shoaib Bashir, selected in the England squad ahead of his Somerset team-mate Jack Leach, will play his first home Test after the off-spinner won three caps on the India tour.
Stokes' team remains otherwise the same, with Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett opening ahead of Ollie Pope, with Joe Root, Harry Brook and the England captain making up the middle order.
England XI:
Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, James Anderson.