Jonny Bairstow, Ben Foakes and Jack Leach notable omissions from England Test squad to face West Indies; uncapped Jamie Smith set to keep wicket; seamers Dillon Pennington and Gus Atkinson also called up but no Ollie Robinson; first Test at Lord's from July 10 as James Anderson bows out
Sunday 30 June 2024 18:14, UK
Surrey wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith and Nottinghamshire seamer Dillon Pennington have been named in England's Test squad for the first two matches against West Indies.
It represents maiden call-ups for the pair at this level, while Surrey seamer Gus Atkinson is the other uncapped player to feature having been part of the squad for the Test tour of India earlier in the year.
Smith, who celebrated his maiden call up with a century for Surrey on day one of their County Championship clash with Essex, looks set to keep wicket for England - Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes are not included in the squad.
Warwickshire seamer Chris Woakes is back in the fold for the first time since July 2023, but there are no places for paceman Ollie Robinson or spinner Jack Leach, with the latter overlooked in favour of Somerset team-mate Shoaib Bashir, who made his Test debut in India over the winter.
Bashir is currently on loan at Worcestershire having been unable to dislodge Leach as first-choice spinner at Taunton.
England kick off the series on July 10 at Lord's before heading to Trent Bridge on July 18, followed by a trip to Edgbaston for the third and final Test on July 26, all live on Sky Sports Cricket.
Smith, 23, has been in outstanding form for Surrey in County Championship Division One this season, scoring 507 runs at an average of 50.70 to earn his likely Test debut.
He usually plays as a specialist batter for Surrey in red-ball cricket with Foakes taking the gloves but has been keeping wicket for the Kia Oval side in the Vitality Blast.
Pennington, 25, has taken 29 County Championship wickets for Notts at an average of 23.03 following his move from Worcestershire earlier this year.
The opening Test will mark the last for James Anderson as he prepares to close the curtain on a remarkable Test career.
It comes after the 41-year-old became the first seam bowler in history, and just the third bowler ever, to reach 700 Test wickets behind Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan against India back in March.
"The first Test of the summer is always a special moment, but it will be extra poignant with it being Jimmy's (Anderson) last Test before he retires," said ECB managing director for England men's cricket Rob Key.
"He has given everything to the sport since his Test debut in 2003. We all would like to wish him well as he walks out at Lord's for the last time for England.
"We are looking forward to getting the season under way against a strong West Indies side in what will be an excellent Test series."
Anderson made his international debut in December 2002 and his Test bow in May 2003, with his 187 Test appearances another England record and only beaten by Sachin Tendulkar's 200 for India.
He played in 194 ODIs and 19 T20s before his international white-ball career ended in 2015 - the same year he overtook Sir Ian Botham's 383 dismissals to become England's record Test wicket-taker.
In 2018, he overhauled Glenn McGrath's total of 563 Test wickets to become the most prolific fast bowler of all time.
Watch the first Test between England and West Indies, at Lord's, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10am on Wednesday July 10 (11am first ball). The series then continues at Trent Bridge (July 18-22) before the final game at Edgbaston (July 26-30)
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