Anderson and Archer in danger of England axe

Stokes’ fitness to bowl key to selection for first Pakistan Test Woakes says competition for places drives pace attack on

England are contemplating dropping either James Anderson, Jofra Archer or Dom Bess from their attack for the first Test against Pakistan which starts at Emirates Old Trafford tomorrow.

The brilliant form of Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad against West Indies means that, with Ben Stokes having returned to bowling in the nets, one of the trio is at risk of missing out.

England have identified the need to build a varied attack as a priority in a team capable of competing in India this winter and who can regain the Ashes in Australia in 2021-22. But they are also committed to picking their strongest possible side and rectifying a miserable run of losing the first Test in eight of their previous 10 series.

England will assess Stokes’s fitness to bowl – he is not a doubt to play – before deciding on the balance of their attack. Stokes bowled a few overs in the nets at Old Trafford yesterday, and is making progress in his recovery from a stiff thigh muscle.

If Stokes is fully fit, England could field a five-man attack while strengthening their batting. This would mean a recall for Zak Crawley at No3 and one of Anderson, Archer or Bess being omitted.

All three have strong claims for selection. Though neither Anderson nor Archer was at his best against West Indies, Anderson is at his home ground and would test Pakistan’s technique to the full, while Archer, with his extra pace, offers an essential point of difference. Though off-spinner Bess enjoyed a modest series against West Indies,

England are keen to allow him the opportunity to establish himself.

The hot, dry conditions expected in Manchester – there are showers forecast early on the first day, but the temperature is expected to reach 27C by Friday – will inform England’s thinking. Such conditions would appear to favour Bess, though he did not bowl a ball in England’s emphatic victory in the last Test, averaging an unspectacular 41 with the ball in the series.

Hot weather could also play into Archer’s hands, with his extra pace and bounce offering England hostility and variety.

Anderson took five wickets at an average of 30 in his two Tests against West Indies, though he conceded only 2.3 runs an over and maintained immaculate control.

Archer was more expensive, taking four wickets at 50 apiece, but bowled brilliantly on the final day of England’s defeat at the Ageas Bowl. While he took only one wicket in the third Test, when he returned to the side after breaching biosecurity protocols, his bounce was a persistent threat.

Woakes said that fierce competitive between the pace group was driving the players on. Sam Curran and Mark Wood are also in the 14-man squad and have a strong chance of playing at least one more Test this summer.

“Competition for bowling spots is hard,” Woakes said. “It makes practice intense, batters will certainly speak volumes for that.”

After his fine series against West

Indies, Woakes now has the best home record of any England quick bowler today, with 81 wickets at an average of just 22 apiece.

“Obviously, I hope I’ve done enough to keep my spot this week. Competition is high at the minute, we’ve still got two of England’s greats charging in and taking wickets every time they play and we’ve got exciting fast bowlers as well. It’s not an easy team to be cemented in. My record in England is brilliant, I’m pleased with that. I want to keep improving myself.”

Woakes said that England were unlikely to play a four-man pace attack in addition to a fit Stokes.

England’s players returned to the biosecure bubble at Old Trafford on Sunday, when they were tested for Covid-19.

When they returned home after the West Indies series, players were “told to be sensible”, Woakes said. “We were told to social distance, told to use face masks. Just use common sense, really.”

While England have been notoriously slow starters in Test series, Woakes believes that they will benefit from having played against West Indies already this summer.

“We certainly felt at the beginning of the West Indies series that we were a little underprepared from a match point of view. You do as much as you can in the nets, but nothing really gives you that time in the middle and match sharpness.”

The hosts will use Jonathan Trott, who played 52 Tests for England, as a batting consultant throughout the series. Warwickshire bowling coach Graeme Welch will work as a pacebowling consultant, while Warwickshire’s Jeetan Patel will be spin-bowling consultant for the second and third Tests.

Misbah-ul-haq, the Pakistan head coach, said that how well his batsmen played England’s quicks would be crucial in determining the series.

“Anderson and Stuart Broad are experienced campaigners and we know how good they are, especially in English conditions with the Dukes ball,” he said.

“It’s always tough with the Dukes ball in England, where the ball moves around off the seam and also in the air. But this is where you can really fight and our batting looked in great shape in the last two series.”