IT’S OLL OVER

‘Massive blow’ as Stone KO’D for tour

OLLY STONE’S hopes of a Test debut in the West Indies have been shattered after a lower back stress injury ruled him out of the tour.

The fast bowler complained of a stiff back on arriving in Barbados following two long-haul flights in three days.

The first was the longest of its kind from Perth to London after visiting his girlfriend in Oz, where he was training to maintain his fitness for this tour.

But after the second flight with his team-mates, the injury flared up and he could only bowl for half an hour on Sunday.

A scan last night revealed the problem and although a stress fracture has not yet been confirmed, England are not taking any chances with their quickest bowler.

“I’m gutted for him,” said captain Joe Root. “He’s worked extremely hard to get into this squad and pushed his case really hard in Sri Lanka.

“It is a massive blow for him and for our team and I’m sure we’ll see plenty more of him in the future.” Mark Wood and Somerset tearaway Jamie Overton will be discussed as possible replacements, but England already have plenty of firepower in the squad as Stuart Broad proved with four wickets in five balls including a hattrick against the CWI President’s XI.

Broad already has two Test hattricks so this effort in which he took the ninth, 10th and 11th wicket to fall will not register too highly, but it reinforced the lack of quality when it comes to West Indian batting.

Left-handed opener John Campbell is set to make his Test debut next Wednesday so the chance to face James Anderson and Broad was not one to waste.

Yet his wild swish at Anderson to edge behind in his first innings of the day suggested time in the middle was not at the front of his mind.

Sam Curran took the new ball with Anderson in a sign England may consider giving him that role in the Test.

“It was a ruthless performance in the field,” said Broad after England took 19 wickets in the day.