Stone ruled out for season

ENGLAND suffered another preAshes injury blow yesterday when Olly Stone was ruled out for the season with the third stress f racture of t he back of his career.

The injury led to a maiden oneday call-up for Sussex’s George Garton in the 16-man squad to face Sri Lanka in a three-match series starting on Wednesday.

Stone, who broke down after bowling 25 overs in the recent defeat by New Zealand at Edgbaston, joins fellow fast bowlers Jofra Archer, Saqib Mahmood and Reece Topley on the sidelines. Archer returned to bowling on Friday following an elbow operation last month but as part of a cautious rehabilitation programme is not pencilled in to play until the Hundred competition, which i s more than a month away.

It means England will start the Test series against India with only Mark Wood fit of the pace trio viewed as essential to their plans of winning in Australia later this year. Garton, 24, has shown form in the Vitality Blast.

‘We have been monitoring the progress of George Garton for quite some time,’ said England coach Chris Silverwood.

‘His ability to bowl quick with his point of difference being a left- armer certainly gives us options in this series, and he deserves his chance at this level. Unfortunately, following the second Test at Edgbaston against New Zealand, Olly Stone has been diagnosed with a stress fracture of his lower back and will miss the rest of the summer with the injury.

‘It is a great shame as Olly was showing real promise and would have been part of our selection plans for this series.’

Ben Stokes, who is being held back for the series against Pakistan next month after suffering a fractured finger, will make his return for Durham against Birmingham Bears on Sunday while Joe Root will play for Yorkshire versus Derbyshire.