Dan Lawrence to open batting for England for the first time; seamer Matthew Potts to make first appearance since June 2023; captain Ben Stokes and Zak Crawley ruled out of series by injury; watch the first Test, from Emirates Old Trafford, live on from 10am on Wednesday
Tuesday 20 August 2024 06:41, UK
England have recalled Matthew Potts and Dan Lawrence for the first Test of their series against Sri Lanka.
The hosts were forced into the changes from the side that completed a 3-0 series win over West Indies in July following injuries to opening batter Zak Crawley and captain Ben Stokes, whose role as skipper is being filled by Ollie Pope.
Surrey's Lawrence replaces Crawley at the top of the order as had been expected, while Durham seamer Potts won the contest to take Stokes' place, with England opting for an extra bowler - rather than batter Jordan Cox - to fill in for the all-rounder.
Stokes was ruled out for the remainder of the summer after tearing his left hamstring while playing for the Northern Superchargers during The Hundred earlier in August, while Crawley fractured a finger when fielding during the final Test against West Indies.
Harry Brook has been named vice-captain for the three-match series, which begins at Emirates Old Trafford on Wednesday before further contests at Lord's and The Oval, with every ball live on Sky Sports.
In Stokes' absence, wicketkeeper Jamie Smith and all-rounder Chris Woakes will each move up a position in England's batting order to sixth and seventh, respectively.
Lawrence will open the batting in Test cricket for the first time as he returns to the side more than two years since claiming the most recent of his 11 caps.
The 27-year-old says he is confident he "fits the mould" of an England Test opener up on the leadership of head coach Brendan McCullum.
"I think that's the style of cricketer that Baz McCullum and Ben Stokes are generally after and my general way of going about it is to try and be quite aggressive," Lawrence said.
"I always try and take the game on and score runs. I think I fit the mould more in that aspect. When I heard about Zak the first thing I thought about was, 'am I going to open?' and I found out very quickly that I was so I've had a couple of weeks to get my head around that and get some practice in.
"Throughout my whole career I've played a certain brand of cricket and that has served me well so I'm just going to do the same thing. I'm just going to go out there and try to be as free as possible."
Like Lawrence, Potts is back after a spell out of the side. After a breakout summer in 2022, the Durham seamer played just one Test last year, but gets the opportunity to make his case after being chosen ahead of Olly Stone.
Smith and bowler Gus Atkinson remain part of the side after each impressing during their debut series against West Indies, while 20-year-old Shoaib Bashir continues as England's lead spinner.
Dan Lawrence, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (captain), Joe Root, Harry Brook (vice-captain), Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Matthew Potts, Mark Wood, Shoaib Bashir.
England's three-Test series against Sri Lanka gets under way at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester on Wednesday. Watch live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10am (first ball at 11am). You can also stream the Test series and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership - No contract, cancel anytime.
