England suffered a major setback ahead of the second Test against Sri Lanka as pace spearhead Mark Wood was ruled out of the series. The right-arm fast bowler suffered a muscle strain on Day 3 of the first Test in Manchester and was unable to bowl on the final day.
Meanwhile, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has named Leicestershire pacer Josh Hull as Wood's replacement. The left-arm seamer earned his maiden England call-up after a string of impressive performances in the domestic circuit.
Hull recently featured in the England Lions fixture against Sri Lanka and picked up five wickets at an average of 14.8. The 6ft 7in pacer can trouble opponents with his sheer pace and bounce. Notably, he has been a standout performer for Leicestershire, playing a crucial role in their One-Day Cup win in 2023.
Also Check: WATCH: Mark Woods’ fiery short ball dismisses clueless Kusal Mendis
As he prepares for the remaining two Tests against Sri Lanka, England Cricket shared a video of Hull's fiery spells on its Instagram handle. The video shows the 20-year-old rattling the stumps during the Vitality T20 Blast.
Check out the video below:
England aim to clinch series at Lord’s
England took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after defeating the Lankan Lions by wickets at Old Trafford. The hosts successfully chased down a target of 205 on the back of Joe Root’s unbeaten 62 off 128 balls.
Earlier, keeper-batter Jamie Smith laid the foundation for England's victory with an incredible century in the first innings. His 111 off 148 balls helped the Three Lions score 358 in response to Sri Lanka’s 236.
Mark Wood grabbed one wicket each in both innings at a good economy rate. Notably, England are already without their regular skipper Ben Stokes. The star all-rounder suffered an injury while playing in The Hundreds. Ollie Pope is leading the side in Stokes’ absence.