England stars could go on ‘loan’ to Surrey!

ENGLAND are planning to parachute their three senior Test specialists into matches for Surrey and England Lions to prepare them for the challenge of facing world No 1 side India. A big hole in the first-class schedule before the first Test on August 1 means England have had to be creative in finding practice for Alastair Cook, James Anderson and Stuart Broad. Anderson, who is on six weeks’ rest to protect his chronic shoulder problem, and Broad can play for their counties in July but Cook faces a dormant spell between June 28 and the first Test as Essex do not have a Division One game. So the trio look set to be shared between Surrey’s three-day match against West Indies A at the Oval and England Lions’ four-day fixture against India A in Worcester. Both matches start on July 16.