George Dobell joins Melinda Farrell to discuss the positives and negatives from England’s Test summer (3:14)
Stuart Broad will have a scan on the heel problem which troubled him during the Lord’s Test before a decision is taken on whether he will play again this season, but James Anderson won’t take the field again until the Ashes tour having been rested from Lancashire’s remaining County Championship fixtures.
Broad has previously had issues with the fat pad in his heel, most seriously on the tour of India in 2012-13, and missed the pink-ball round of County Championship matches earlier this season with the problem recurring before the Test series against South Africa. However, he was able to play a full part in the seven Test matches against them and West Indies.
He left the field briefly on the opening day of the final Test against West Indies but was able to bowl when called upon by Joe Root throughout the match. Overall, the 2017 season was Broad’s least productive home summer since his first full season in 2008 as he claimed 20 wickets at 33.90, although he did move into second on England’s all-time list ahead of Ian Botham.
His new-ball partner, Anderson, who climbed to No. 1 in the world rankings on Sunday, certainly won’t bowl another competitive delivery until early November when England begin their warm-up matches in Australia. He completed a memorable performance at Lord’s with a career-best 7 for 42 having claimed his 500th Test wicket on the second evening when he bowled Kraigg Brathwaite.
Among other players who have been on Test duty for England, the batsmen sweating on their places for the Ashes tour will get further chances to impress the selectors over the closing weeks of the season. Tom Westley is available for all Essex’s remaining matches as they aim to clinch the County Championship – something they could do this week against Warwickshire if Lancashire slip up – while Mark Stoneman will play Surrey’s remaining fixtures.
Dawid Malan, who made two half-centuries against West Indies after a tough start in the South Africa series, will miss this week’s Championship match against Hampshire as he is in the England T20 squad but will be available for Middlesex’s final two matches.
Legspinner Mason Crane, who is tipped for a place on the Ashes tour, will hope for the opportunity to get a significant number of overs under his belt for Hampshire in the closing weeks of the season. He was part of the England squad throughout the West Indies series but his chances of a debut at Lord’s were scuppered by seam-friendly conditions and the 1-1 scoreline.
Warwickshire, who are trying to stave of relegation, have the boost of Chris Woakes’ availability against Essex before he joins up with the ODI squad. Alastair Cook, who has been carrying a knee niggle, won’t be available for the title run-in as he is rested following the Test summer.
Having been left out of the one-day squad, Steven Finn and Mark Wood will be able to further their Ashes ambitions with Middlesex and Durham respectively. Middlesex will also have Toby Roland-Jones for all their remaining matches.
The Ashes is squad is due to be named after the final round of Championship matches finishes on September 28.
Source: ESPN Crickinfo