Stone hoping to press his England case

OLLY Stone is still working out his place in England’s pace pecking order as he balances hopes of a Test debut in the West Indies over the next month with the trickier prospect of forcing his way back into World Cup contention, writes the Press Association’s Rory Dollard in Barbados.

Stone was handed his first senior call-up for the tour of Sri Lanka before Christmas, playing four one-day internationals before settling in for a watching brief as the Test side wrapped up a 3-0 series whitewash.

Missing out on spin-friendly pitches in Galle, Kandy and Colombo may not have been the worst thing for the lively 25-yearold but, having been overlooked for the ODIs in the Caribbean, a maiden outing in England whites is a priority if he is to continue his upward trajectory.

Stone, pictured, has been identified as one of the players who might add venom to England’s seam arsenal, an issue that was diagnosed after the 2017/18 Ashes and has yet to be resolved, but with James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Sam Curran also involved he must first earn his spot.

Speaking after preparations began with an extended training session at the 3Ws Oval in Barbados, he said: “I’d love to have played in Sri Lanka, obviously, but the team did so well and to win the series 3-0 means the sides they went in with were the right ones.

“It would have been lovely to play, but I learned a lot off the field and if I get a chance out here I can show what I learned.”

There was some surprise when Stone was retained for the longer format in the West Indies and left out of the 50-over games, particularly given his bright start in Sri Lanka. The next time England name a squad it will be their World Cup 15 and although that renders Stone a firm outsider, he holds out hope. He said: “All it takes is someone to get injured or something and you’re straight in there, you never know.”

He at least has the benefit of friends in high places, with his former Warwickshire boss Ashley Giles newly-installed as the England and Wales Cricket Board’s director of cricket. Giles is an avowed advocate of Stone and one of his final acts at Edgbaston was finalising a new contract to keep him at the club.