England name squad for Ireland Test Bairstow returns, Foakes out

LONDON: England on Tuesday named their 15-man squad for the one-off Test against Ireland, starting 1 June at Lord’s with Ben Stokes leading the side and Ollie Pope is the vice-captain.

England will be bolstered with the return of wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow, who was out of action since August last year after a golf accident left him with a broken left leg and dislocated ankle.

With Bairstow back in the side, Ben Foakes has been left out of the squad. Also missing will be Jofra Archer after being ruled out for the remaining summer with a recurrence of a stress fracture to his right elbow.

Making a return are fast bowlers Mark Wood and Chris Woakes, the latter coming back in the Test squad for the first time since March 2022 and if selected, it will be his first Test on home soil in the last two years.

Another positive for England is the inclusion of James Anderson, who picked up an injury while bowling on the opening day of Lancashire’s County clash against Somerset.

The ECB had said that they will assess his fitness before the Ireland Test and his inclusion bodes well for the hosts.

England Squad: Ben Stokes (c), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood. IANS

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