Uncapped Cook and Cox in England cricket squad for Zimbabwe test

LONDON (AP) — Uncapped Essex pair Sam Cook and Jordan Cox were included in the England squad for the one-off cricket test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, starting May 22.

Cook, a skillful seamer, was named in the 13-man squad on Friday, along with hard-hitting batter Cox who was set for a test debut in New Zealand before Christmas only to miss out when he broke his thumb in the nets.

The 27-year-old Cook has 318 first-class wickets in 88 games, with an average of 19.77, but has previously found himself leapfrogged by a succession of quicker bowlers. With James Anderson and Stuart Broad retired and Chris Woakes yet to play this season through injury, there is a vacancy for a swing and seam specialist with more modest pace. Cook performed impressively on England Lions’ tour of Australia in January, taking 13 wickets in three games.

England captain Ben Stokes has yet to play this season for Durham as he recovers from a badly torn hamstring, but it is unclear how much bowling he will be able to do.

Stokes’ team will be heavy favorites in the four-day match against Zimbabwe, which is playing its first test in England since 2003,

Highlights of all England’s home international matches will continue to be shown by the BBC, as well as eight live double-headers in the Hundred, after the broadcaster renewed its deal with the England and Wales Cricket Board for another four years.

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England squad: Ben Stokes (captain), Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket