Woakes named in England Test squad for Sri Lanka series

Warwickshire all-rounder Chris Woakes has been named in England’s squad for the Rothesay Test series versus Sri Lanka starting later this month.

Woakes – who marked his 51st England Test recently with 3/69 against the West Indies at Edgbaston – is included in a 14-man squad.

The series starts on 21 August at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, followed by Lord’s (29 Aug to 2 Sept) and the Kia Oval (6-10 Sept).

Woakes is one of just eight Warwickshire players to have 50-plus Test caps to their name and features in a new artwork installation on display behind The Hollies Stand which celebrates that elite group.

“I’m really pleased to have reached the 50-Test milestone,” said the 35-year-old. “I don’t play for milestones, I play for wins, but it’s a great honour to be among a group of only eight Bears to have achieved that.

“The first test at the Oval in 2013 was a special moment in my career, receiving my first Test cap off Sir Ian Botham. I’ve only played a couple of Test matches at Edgbaston and it’s a great feeling walking out on your home patch.

“I don’t like to put a number on how many I might play. I play every Test or game for England like it’s my last. You never know when it’s going to come to an end, so you try and make the most of it.

“But the body feels okay, so as long as I’m picked hopefully I can get a few more.”

Opening batter Zak Crawley will miss the series due to a fractured right little finger sustained in the third Test victory over the West Indies.

Seam bowler Dillion Pennington, who featured in the Test squad during the recent series victory over the West Indies, will also miss the series after sustaining a hamstring injury while playing in The Hundred.

There is a first call-up for Essex middle-order batter Jordan Cox.

The 23-year-old right-handed bat has been in excellent form for Essex this season after joining from Kent at the start of the year. He has been involved in the England set-up previously, having toured Pakistan with the England white-ball squad in the autumn of 2022.

Nottinghamshire seamer Olly Stone returns to the Test squad for the first time since June 2021 and will be looking to add to his three Test caps.

Squad

Ben Stokes (Durham) Captain
Gus Atkinson (Surrey)
Shoaib Bashir (Somerset)
Harry Brook (Yorkshire)
Jordan Cox (Essex)
Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)
Dan Lawrence (Surrey)
Ollie Pope (Surrey)
Matthew Potts (Durham)
Joe Root (Yorkshire)
Jamie Smith (Surrey)
Olly Stone (Nottinghamshire)
Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)
Mark Wood (Durham)

Tests

1st Test: England v Sri Lanka, 21-25 August 2024, Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester

2nd Test: England v Sri Lanka, 29 August-2 September 2024, Lord’s Cricket Ground, London

3rd Test: England v Sri Lanka, 6-10 September 2024, Kia Oval, London