Ben Stokes has emerged as an injury doubt for the third Test against West Indies starting on Saturday with a bruised right heel that may have been caused by running on the beach.
The all-rounder reported soreness in the area after the team underwent a fitness session on the sands of Rodney Bay on Wednesday morning and did not appear 24 hours later, when practice resumed at the Darren Sammy Stadium.
England are still hopeful Stokes can feature in the Test, with the touring side desperate to avoid a 3-0 series whitewash. But they are taking a cautious route for a player who has sent down 77 overs in the series – not least since his obvious replacement, Chris Woakes, is nursing knee soreness and was due to lie low before the impending one-day series.
Another concern is the fitness of Ben Foakes, who sustained a bruised hand during the 10-wicket defeat in Antigua. Should Foakes miss out – the Surrey wicketkeeper did at least train – the plan is for Keaton Jennings to return as opener, moving Joe Denly down to No 3 and Jonny Bairstow continuing with the gloves from a lower batting position. Much depends on whether Stokes can bowl.
Whatever the makeup of the XI, Jos Buttler expects a response, both to the 2-0 series score and the head coach, Trevor Bayliss, questioning their will to fight during this series. “I think as a player when those kind of things are questioned it can hurt your pride so you want to prove him wrong,” Buttler said.
“We have not been able to soak up the pressure West Indies have put on us and we haven’t got anything going in partnerships or anyone individually standing up, making a score and batting for periods of time. Those are the areas we need to improve this week.”
A morning fitness session on the beach as we look to bounce back in Saint Lucia. 🏝🏃♂️ pic.twitter.com/WybjQVI7sN
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) February 6, 2019
Buttler is feeling the heat himself. Brought back into the side to great success last summer and promoted to vice-captain only two games in, the right-hander has made just a couple of 20s from four innings this series and still has just one century from 52 Test innings: a 176-ball 102 against India at Trent Bridge last summer.
He added: “That innings is the best blueprint for me in red-ball cricket. When you experience those feelings and emotions you’re desperate to experience it again. It’s something I can look back at and draw on as the best template.”
West Indies will be forced into at least one change. Jason Holder is suspended for the team’s slow over-rate in Antigua and either the all-rounder Keemo Paul or Oshane Thomas, an out-and-out quick who is an imposing physical presence, will step up at a ground that has produced two results from six Tests.
Shannon Gabriel, whose slowness between balls has been blamed for the captain’s absence, expects a seamers’ pitch and having seen his colleagues take the bulk of the wickets, now fancies cashing in at a venue where he took 13 against Sri Lanka last year.
“I have a role to play and I have been fulfilling it so far,” said Gabriel, who was responsible for the Foakes injury. “My role is no secret – it’s to run and bowl as fast as possible. The other guys then come and do their stuff. I have been a bit unfortunate not to get the amount of wickets I set out to get but there’s still one more game to go.”
Asked how many he targeted, Gabriel replied: “More than I have now [five]. It’s been playing on my mind a bit. This wicket usually tends to assist the fast bowlers a little more with pace and bounce. I think we can exploit that.”
Relief from Gabriel’s hostile approach will eventually come at the start of the five-match ODI series. The Trinidadian will rest up for at least the first two games – starting in Barbados on 20 February – and was absent from a 14-man squad announced on Thursdaythat sees the 39-year-old Chris Gayle return.
Gayle’s last one-dayer came in July last year, having missed recent tours to India and Bangladesh in order to play in the Afghanistan Premier League and the T10 League. But West Indies’ most prolific ODI centurion (23) will now resume a potentially destructive opening partnership with Evin Lewis.
Marlon Samuels sits out because of a knee injury meaning his long‑running rivalry with Stokes will not resume. West Indies may well be better for it, with Shimron Hetmyer and the uncapped Nicholas Pooran potentially more aggressive players in the middle order.
