England pacer James Anderson.
James Anderson. Image Credit: X

The England Cricket Board (ECB) has announced their playing XI for the first of the three-match Test series against West Indies, starting on July 10, at the iconic Lord’s Ground, in London, which is also going to be the farewell Test match for the legendary pacer James Anderson, ending his 21-year career for the team.

Ben Stokes, the captain of the side has started bowling and contributed with the ball for Durham in the last County Championship game which balances the team properly for the start of the summer. Chris Woakes, who has informed his decision of mostly being available for the home Tests has also been added among the eleven players.

It will also be the first home Test for England, after the retirement of another veteran pacer Stuart Broad, who decided to bring the curtains down in their international career at the end of the Ashes 2023, at the Kennington Oval, London.

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The lone spinner of the side has been Shoaib Bashir, who is three Tests old for England, having been part of the India trip at the start of the year. The off-spinner had a successful time in those Asian conditions having taken 17 wickets in five innings, at an average of 33.35, with a couple of five-wicket hauls.

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However, the same sort of help off the surface might not be expected from the Lord’s track, which has tended to be greener at the start of the summer, and given a few rain predictions, it will be interesting to see how England use Bashir, who has just 13 first-class games under his belt and hardly finds a place for his county side, Somerset.

The 26-year-old Surrey pacer Gus Atkinson has found a place in the team. His pace on those tracks would be quite valuable for Stokes and co., once they give rest two their new ball bowlers- Woakes and Anderson after their first spell.

Atkinson has been quite decent in his 19 first-class games for the side having collected 59 wickets at an average of under 28. Coming lower-order the order, he could be a contributor with the bat too if they need someone to hand around there in the middle for a bit. Once he got the call from the team for the last year’s ODI World Cup 2023, in India, it was almost bound to happen that opportunity would knock him again.

Meanwhile, wicket-keeper of the same county side, Jamie Smith will don the gloves for England to start the summer. The right-handed batter has also been quite good in his second job, as he has already notched up 3434 first-class runs at an average of 41.87 in 59 games, celebrating 10 centuries and 14 fifties, with a best of unbeaten 234 games.

The batting line-up is almost the same with the two aggressive ‘Bazball’ opening combo of Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, both of whom had a lovely winter tour in India, with Ollie Pope and Joe Root to follow. Harry Brook has earned his place back after missing the entire India tour for England due to his family issues.

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However, the week will be celebrated for Jimmy Anderson’s last time for the national side. With 700 wickets in 187 Tests, at an average of 26.52, besides 32 five-wicket and three ten-wicket hauls, the Lancashire pacer will have his eyes on finishing ahead of Shane Warner as the second-highest wicket-taker in Tests, as he aims for nine more wickets for that.

England’s Playing XI:

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