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BSP-13
CRICKET-ENG-PAK-TOSS,TEAM-UPDATE
Stokes out as Pakistan bat against England in 2nd Test
LEEDS, United Kingdom, June 1, 2018 (BSS?AFP) – Ben Stokes was ruled out
as Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed won the toss and elected to bat against
England in the second Test at Headingley on Friday.
England all-rounder Stokes had been struggling with a torn left hamstring
and was ruled out on the morning of the match.
He was replaced by 19-year-old debutant left-arm seamer Sam Curran as
England made three changes in total to the side that suffered a nine-wicket
thrashing by Pakistan inside four days in the first Test of this two-match
series at Lord’s.
Keaton Jennings replaced struggling opening batsman Mark Stoneman and
pace bowling all-rounder Chris Woakes came in for dropped fast bowler Mark
Wood.
Pakistan were forced into making one change, with middle-order batsman
Usman Salahuddin given a Test debut after Babar Azam suffered a broken arm
while facing Stokes at Lord’s.
Sarfraz explained his decision to bat first by saying: “It looks like a
good pitch, a dry pitch, so hopefully we can post a good score.”
England captain Joe Root, playing on his Yorkshire home ground, added:
“It’s humid today so we might get swing and we have to use what we get with a
fresh pitch.
“We were below par in the last Test and the fact the game has come around
so quickly has helped us.”
Curran was presented with his Test cap by Graham Thorpe, England’s one-
day international batting coach.
“It was nice to give Sam his cap,” Thorpe, a former Surrey and England
batsman, told BBC Radio’s Test Match Special.
“To present it to a Surrey player, at his age, was really special.
“He’s a talented player. England’s search for a left-arm seamer is well
documented and it’s a great opportunity for Sam,” Thorpe added.
If Pakistan avoid defeat, they will win their first Test series in
England since 1996.
England, who have lost six of their last eight Tests, are looking to
avoid a third straight series loss after reverses in Australia and New
Zealand.
Teams
England: Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Joe Root (capt), Dawid Malan,
Jonny Bairstow (wkt), Jos Buttler, Chris Woakes, Dominic Bess, Sam Curran,
Stuart Broad, James Anderson
Pakistan: Azhar Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Haris Sohail, Asad Shafiq, Usman
Salahuddin, Sarfraz Ahmed (capt/wkt), Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad
Amir, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas
Umpires: Rod Tucker (AUS), Bruce Oxenford (AUS)
TV umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS)
Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)
BSS/AFP/RY/1635 hrs