England vs West Indies: Jamie Smith and Dillon Pennington obtain maiden squad call-ups for first two Checks

Nottinghamshire seamer Dillon Pennington and Surrey batter Jamie Smith have been named in England’s Check squad for his or her first two matches in opposition to West Indies.

It represents maiden call-ups for the pair at this stage, whereas Surrey seamer Gus Atkinson is the opposite uncapped participant to characteristic having been a part of the squad for the Check tour of India earlier within the yr.

Smith appears to be like set to maintain wicket for England, with Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes not included within the squad, whereas Warwickshire seamer Chris Woakes is again within the fold for the primary time since July 2023.

England kick off the collection on July 10 at Lord’s earlier than heading to Trent Bridge on July 18, adopted by a visit to Edgbaston for the third and last Check on July 26, all reside on Sky Sports activities Cricket.

Smith, 23, has been in excellent type for Surrey in County Championship Division One this season, scoring 507 runs at a median of fifty.70 to earn his doubtless Check debut.

Pennington, 25, has taken 29 County Championship wickets for Notts at a median of 23.03 following his transfer from Worcestershire earlier this yr.

The opening Check will mark the final for James Anderson as he prepares to shut the curtain on a exceptional Check profession.

It comes after the 41-year-old turned the primary seam bowler in historical past, and simply the third bowler ever, to achieve 700 Check wickets behind Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan in opposition to India again in March.

“The primary Check of the summer time is all the time a particular second, however will probably be additional poignant with it being Jimmy’s (Anderson) final Check earlier than he retires,” stated ECB managing director for England males’s cricket Rob Key. “He has given every little thing to the game since his Check debut in 2003. All of us want to want him nicely as he walks out at Lord’s for the final time for England.

“We’re wanting ahead to getting the season beneath method in opposition to a robust West Indies facet in what will probably be a superb Check collection.”

Anderson made his worldwide debut in December 2002 and his Check bow in Could 2003, along with his 187 Check appearances one other England file and solely overwhelmed by Sachin Tendulkar’s 200 for India.

He performed in 194 ODIs and 19 T20s earlier than his worldwide white-ball profession resulted in 2015 – the identical yr he overtook Sir Ian Botham’s 383 dismissals to turn out to be England’s file Check wicket-taker, then in 2018 overhauled Glenn McGrath’s whole of 563 Check wickets to turn out to be probably the most prolific quick bowler of all time.

England Males’s Check squad for first two matches vs West Indies:

Ben Stokes (Durham) (Captain), James Anderson (Lancashire) (First Check solely), Gus Atkinson (Surrey), Shoaib Bashir (Somerset), Harry Brook (Yorkshire), Zak Crawley (Kent), Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire), Dan Lawrence (Surrey), Dillon Pennington (Nottinghamshire), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Matthew Potts (Durham), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jamie Smith (Surrey), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire).

Watch England’s Check summer time because it begins with a three-match collection in opposition to the West Indies, reside on Sky Sports activities; Jamie Smith is handed debut in James Anderson’s farewell at Lord’s (July 10-14) adopted by additional matches at Trent Bridge (July 18-22) and Edgbaston (July 26-30)

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