The England Cricket Board (ECB) is adopting a cautious stance regarding the fitness of its players following the recent injury to Test skipper Ben Stokes. This precautionary measure sees the ECB making significant player withdrawals from The Hundred tournament, with star pacer Gus Atkinson following Chris Woakes off the final roster.
Gus Atkinson, who has only made a singular appearance for the Oval Invincibles in this year’s competition, will now miss the much-anticipated final. The Invincibles have already secured their spot in the final after leading the eight-team table, thus bypassing the need to compete in the Eliminator round.
The team’s skipper, Sam Billings, affirmed the change. “Gus has been withdrawn, which is quite understandable. It’s disappointing for him but Saqib Mahmood has been phenomenal for us all tournament and showed his class the other night. He’ll stay in the side,” Billings stated.
The challenges for the Invincibles don’t stop with Atkinson’s absence; they are also missing pacer Spencer Johnson through injury. However, they are buoyed by the return of Tom Curran, who was rested for their last group match against the Trent Rockets on August 14. Atkinson, playing in that game, ended his spell with figures of 0/28 over 10 deliveries. The 26-year-old pacer previously made headlines by earning the Player of the Series title in his debut series against the West Indies, claiming an impressive 22 wickets.
The ECB’s decision follows a similar withdrawal earlier in the week when Chris Woakes was pulled out from The Hundred after Ben Stokes, captain of the England Test team and a player for the Northern Superchargers, suffered a hamstring tear during a match against Manchester Originals on August 11.
Despite the withdrawals of Woakes and Atkinson, other members of the Test squad remain available for The Hundred final.
. Birmingham Phoenix’s Jamie Smith and Ben Duckett, along with Jordan Cox from the Invincibles, are still on deck three days before the Test series against Sri Lanka starts on August 21.
“Jordan will be available and I think that’s great for him,” Billings remarked. “I’ve been in that position before where as a young player, you get withdrawn and miss out on playing time. For anyone to play in a final at Lord’s in the leading domestic competition in the country, in front of a packed house is perfect preparation for international cricket.”
The Southern Brave may also receive a significant boost with the potential availability of Jofra Archer for their knockout stages. “I’ve not heard otherwise, so I’m hoping that’s the case,” said Brave skipper James Vince. “Obviously we’ve got tomorrow to take care of first, but as I understand it, he is available for both should we make the final. I can’t give you 100% confirmation because I don’t know that myself, to be honest. But there’s not much travel involved and it’s only 20 balls [per match] so I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
The Oval Invincibles await their final challenge, which lies between the winner of the Eliminator match featuring Birmingham Phoenix against Southern Brave. This critical contest takes place on Saturday, August 17, with the final scheduled for Sunday.
Keeping player fitness at the forefront, the ECB aims to shield its key players from overexertion ahead of the critical Test series against Sri Lanka. Given the fierce competition and intense schedules the players are subjected to, both fans and analysts alike understand the strategic moves being made by ECB to ensure the team is in prime condition for the upcoming international commitments. This approach protects the athletes and ensures England fields their best possible XI as they square off against Sri Lanka in a series that carries significant stakes.
