England strenghten bowling attack ahead of Ashes
The England team have decided to stick with the same team for the first Investec Ashes Test which played in the recently concluded New Zealand series. They have also added Adil Rashid and Steven Finn to their 13-man squad.
Rashid was not included in the squad taken to Spain for a training camp along with the new coach, Trevor Bayliss. His four-wicket haul led to Yorkshire's Championship victory against Durham and his success in the recently concluded one-day international (ODI) series helped him make a sturdy impression.
The leg-spinner is yet debut for the England Test side and could prove to be serious competition for Moeen Ali. Although, there are chances that England opts to play both players. Bayliss reported that the team may choose to play two spinners after assessing the pitch conditions before the series begins on 8th July.
"There's been a bit of hot weather around so we want that option," Bayliss was quoted saying by ESPNcricinfo.
Steven Finn has also been included in the squad ahead of Chris Jordan and Liam Plunkett, who was injured during the one-day series against New Zealand and is recovering. However, Mark Footitt, who was a part of the 14-man training squad that returned from Spain could not make the cut to for the Ashes.
The remainder of the team was the same as the one which took on the Kiwis. Despite his poor form, Gary Ballance, has retained his spot in the team along with Adam Lyth, who is likely to strengthen the top-order after scoring his maiden Test century at Headingley last month.
Yorkshire player, Jonny Bairstow couldn’t make the cut despite putting up an impressive performance with the bat. Jos Buttler will continue to keep wickets after recovering from a hand injury which led to Bairstow’s inclusion in the side for an ODI and T20 against New Zealand, in the first place.
Mark Wood will strengthen England’s pace attack along with James Anderson and Stuart Broad. He is identified as a key player in the team’s bowling attack.
With many new faces in the English’s side, the experience of the Ashes series remains in the middle. Ian Bell, who was in England's 2005 team that emerged victorious in the series, will be playing his seventh Ashes series, along with Alastair Cook and James Anderson who will be playing their sixth and Stuart Broad who will appear in the series for the fifth time.
Bayliss replaced Peter Moores as the England coach last month. He will be taking charge of the team that has won six of their last eight Tests and are bubbling with confidence.
"Adil Rashid's inclusion provides Alastair and Trevor with plenty of bowling options and the surface at Cardiff will dictate who makes the final XI," England's national selector, James Whitaker, said.
"Within the squad there are players who have plenty of experience of Ashes cricket and that knowledge will I'm sure be useful for the players who are yet to experience a home Ashes series.
"There has been some very good cricket played so far this summer and we are aware that we will need to build on that over the next seven weeks if we are to win back the Ashes. On behalf of the selectors I'd like to congratulate the 13 players selected for the first Investec Test and wish them as well as Trevor all the very best for what will I'm sure be a very competitive and entertaining series."
England squad for the first Test: Alastair Cook (Captain), Adam Lyth, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (Wicket-keeper), Moeen Ali, Stuart Broad, Mark Wood, James Anderson, Adil Rashid, Steven Finn.
Cook will be leading the England XI and will certainly call upon the expertise of the Australian coach to regain the urn after the embarrassing whitewash in the of 2013-14 series.
The Ashes series is scheduled to start on 8th July in Cardiff.