England will lock horns with the visitors West Indies in the second Test match of the ongoing bilateral series starting on Thursday at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. The hosts are leading the three-match series 1-0. (More Cricket News)
James Anderson hung his boots after playing his final Test match at Lord's Cricket Ground which was the opening match of the series. England won the first match by an innings and 114 runs to give the legend a memorable farewell. He finished with 704 Test wickets in 188 matches.
Now, Mark Wood has replaced him in the squad for the next two matches and is most likely to play in the second Test at Nottingham. Gus Atkinson, who took 12 wickets in his debut match at Lord's is fit and will play in the second match along with bowling all-rounder Chris Woakes.
West Indies have made no changes in their playing XI and will be eyeing to fulfil their plans. Jason Holder, who is making his comeback to professional cricket, will be a player to watch out for.
ENG Vs WI, 2nd Test Full Squads:
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes(c), Jamie Smith(w), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Mark Wood, Daniel Lawrence, Matthew Potts, Dillon Pennington
West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite(c), Mikyle Louis, Kirk McKenzie, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Jason Holder, Joshua Da Silva(w), Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales, Kevin Sinclair, Zachary McCaskie, Jeremiah Louis, Tevin Imlach
As England prepare to host West Indies for the second Test match at Nottingham, three key player battles are worth looking out for:
1. Joe Root vs Shamar Joseph
Joe Root comes to bat at number four and has the responsibility of moving the game forward. He can play aggressively and patiently as well, according to the requirements. The pitch at Nottingham is suitable for batting and he is most likely to exploit those conditions for his favour. But he may have to be aware of the pace sensation Shamar Joseph. The 24-year-old will be playing his just fourth Test match and he has a knack of taking big wickets. He poses a threat to Root.
2. Alick Athanaze vs Gus Atkinson
West Indies' number four batter has a stylish batting approach and can play for a long time. He also looked calm and composed during the batting in the first match. Gus Atkinson grabbed 12 wickets in his maiden Test match and also got the wicket of Athanaze in the first innings. The battle between the two young and fierce players will be worthy of watch. The battle between a dashing southpaw and a right-arm pacer will be a treat to the eyes.
3. Jamie Smith vs Jayden Seales
Jamie Smith made his Test debut at Lord's in the last match and showed a positive attitude and approach while batting and keeping the wickets. He made 70 off 119 balls including eight fours and two sixes. He looked confident and displayed his batting prowess, but was later dismissed by Jayden Seales. The right-arm seamer can get his wicket in the next match as well. He likes to bowl with a sheer pace and accuracy and Smith might fall in that.
