London, March 19 (IANS) Jonathan Trott is poised to make his return to international cricket following an 18-month break. He has been named in a 16-man England squad for the tour of West Indies, starting next month.
The 33-year-old will be joined by three uncapped players – Adam Lyth, Adil Rashid and Mark Wood – on the tour which runs from April 6 to May 3 and includes three Tests. The squad will be led by Alistair Cook and includes seamer Chris Jordan and key senior players Ian Bell and James Anderson, reports CMC.
Trott pulled out of the 2013-2014 Ashes tour following the first Test in Brisbane after suffering from “stress related illness”. However, he subsequently scored heavily for Warwickshire in first class cricket and showed excellent form for England A in the tour of South Africa last year.
“Jonathan Trott produced some outstanding performances for Warwickshire last summer scoring five centuries and also made an unbeaten double hundred during the recent successful England Lions tour. He is a player of proven international pedigree and we are delighted to welcome him back into the squad,” national selector James Whitaker said.
In 49 Tests, Trott accumulated 3,763 runs an average of 46, with nine centuries.
Lyth, meanwhile, is a 27-year-old left-handed opener while his Yorkshire teammate Rashid, also 27, is a leg-spinner who has already played five one-dayers. Wood is a seamer who has played a handful of first class matches for Durham and who was picked for England Lions last year only to return home after one match with injury.
“Adam, Adil and Mark are all players who have performed impressively over the last 12 months They will now have an opportunity to push for a regular place in the Test side’s starting line-up,” said Whitaker.
Seamer Chris Woakes has been sidelined with injury and is joined by batsman Moeen Ali, who is struggling with a side strain but may be considered for the latter stages of the tour once he recovers.
England face West Indies in the first Test in Antigua on April 13 before travelling to Grenada for the second Test, bowling off on April 21. The final Test is carded for Kensington Oval in Barbados, starting May 1.
England squad: Alastair Cook (captain), James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Gary Balance, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Chris Jordan, Adam Lyth, Liam Plunkett, Joe Root, Adil Rashid, Ben Stokes, James Tredwell, Jonathan Trott, Mark Wood.
