Paceman Atkinson to make England Test debut

Gus Atkinson

Pace bowler Gus Atkinson will make his Test debut in England’s series opener against the West Indies at Lord’s today.

The 26-year-old joins Chris Woakes and the retiring James Anderson as the specialist seamers.

Atkinson’s Surrey team-mate Jamie Smith, 23, will also make his Test bow behind the stumps, a move confirmed when he was named in the squad ahead of Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes.

Atkinson, who has played nine one-day internationals and three T20s, was part of the England squad for the Test tour of India earlier this year, but did not feature.

Smith usually plays for Surrey as a specialist batter with Foakes taking the gloves, although he was England’s keeper for the two one-day internationals he played against Ireland last year.

Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, picked in the England Squad ahead of his Somerset teammate Jack Leach, plays his first home Test after winning three caps on the tour of India.

England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (Captain), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir and James Anderson. 

(Agencies)