Test call for emotional Stoneman
● Surrey bastman in for Jennings to face Windies along with spinner Crane
Mark Stoneman admitted to a “release of emotion” after winning an England call-up for next week’s historic day-night Test against West Indies.
Stoneman replaces the misfiring Keaton Jennings and will be the 12th batsman since Andrew Strauss retired five years ago to get a chance at the top of the order alongside Alastair Cook.
Spinner Mason Crane’s callup in a 13-man squad for Edgbaston was largely unexpected after an indifferent season with Hampshire although the 20-year-old made a positive impression in England’s Twenty20 series against South Africa in June.
Stoneman, a 30-year-old who made his name with Durham before moving to Surrey in the winter is a prolific runscorer on the county circuit.
He said: “It hasn’t quite sunk in yet, it’s amazing.
“It’s been a long road, a few ups and downs, but to get that call was quite the release of emotion and something I am very proud of.
“I’ve had ten years as a professional so I’d hope I have worked things out by now. The experiences I have had now, against the top bowlers in Division One and overseas bowlers will stand me in good stead.”
Dawid Malan, who, like Jennings, struggled against South Africa, and Tom Westley have been retained, meaning dynamic in-form batsman Alex Hales misses out, while there is a recall for Chris Woakes following the seamer’s recovery from injury.
Woakes was sidelined for all four South Africa Tests after suffering a side strain in England’s opening Champions Trophy encounter against Bangladesh on 1 June.
The opening position has been a headache for England since Strauss’ retirement, but Stoneman should bring fresh zeal to the squad as he is arguably in the form of his life.
Since swapping Durham for Surrey earlier this year, Stoneman has amassed 828 runs at an average of 59.14 in the championship and is well on course to pass 1,000 for the fifth year running.
And it is his weight of runs that has seen him earn the nod over Jennings and the highlyrated Haseeb Hameed, whose composed 77 not out for Lancashire earlier this week was the first time he had passed 50 in first-class cricket in this campaign.
England have decided against resting senior players for the first of three matches against the Windies.
The series, which features the inaugural day-night Test on these shores gets under way at 2pm on 17 August in Birmingham.