Stone must be handled with care!

ENGLAND have been warned Olly Stone’s workload must be managed sensibly after naming the Warwickshire paceman in their 16-man squad for the one-day international series in Sri Lanka next month.

Stone’s ability to exceed 90mph, coupled with a stellar season for the Bears, has led to him being summoned for the beginning of England’s winter programme as they build towards next year’s World Cup.

His maiden international call-up comes a little more than two years after a serious knee problem suffered while celebrating a wicket led to him having to learn how to walk again.

After swapping Northamptonshire for Edgbaston, his 2017 campaign was punctuated by injury but he has hit form this year, amassing more than 50 wickets in all competitions.

Warwickshire sport director Ashley Giles believes Stone deserves England recognition but urged the 24-year-old be handled with “kid gloves”.

He said: “He’s ready. We’ve really tried to manage his route back into cricket and it’s been quite tough at times with him in and out of the side after he’s picked up little niggles.

“But the bloke bowls at 90mph and he gets the ball back in at the stumps and he gets people bowled a lot. He thought he might not play cricket at all a year ago and now he has a chance of playing in a World Cup.

“We can only keep him under wraps for so long but after the way we’ve managed it in consultation with England, who have listened to us, he’s now ready to go.

“You have to manage him with kid gloves. I think if you’re expecting Olly to play every day and be at it, he’ll break down.

“He’s a Ferrari. With many bowlers – your BMWs or your Audis – you just get in and go but if you have someone who bowls at pace and has had his history of injury, you have to treat them very carefully.”