England drop Stoneman, recall Jennings for second Test
London, May 28 (IANS) In the aftermath of the humiliating nine-wicket defeat to Pakistan in the opening Test at Lord’s, England selectors on Monday recalled opener Keaton Jennings for the second Test at Headingley, while dropping an off-colour Mark Stoneman from the squad.
Jennings, 25, scored a century on his Test debut against India in Mumbai but lost his place midway through last season after struggling to build on that early milestone.
Stoneman failed twice at Lord’s — bowled by Mohammad Abbas in the first innings and defeated by a ball that kept low from Shadab Khan in the second — in a display bereft of confidence.
“Keaton Jennings showed a strong temperament in scoring a hundred on his Test match debut against India in December 2016,” national selector Ed Smith said.
“Keaton has found good form in county cricket this season, including three centuries in his last seven innings.”
“Mark Stoneman misses out at Headingley. Mark has experienced a disappointing start to the 2018 season and had a difficult Test match at Lord’s,” Smith added.
Trailing 0-1 in the two-match series, the hosts will attempt to square it off with a win in the second Test that starts at the Headingley Cricket Ground on June 1.
England squad: Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Joe Root (Captain), Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow (WK), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Dom Bess, Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Chris Woakes.
