Blow for England as Archer, Wood to miss first Ashes Test

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Blow for England as Archer, Wood to miss first Ashes Test

By Andrew Wu

England's World Cup glory has come at the cost of losing their two fastest bowlers, with Jofra Archer and Mark Wood both out of the start of the Ashes – but explosive white-ball opener Jason Roy is on the verge of a Test debut.

Any plan England had to rock Australia with raw pace will have to wait until the second Test at the earliest with Archer and Wood both ruled out due to side strains sustained during the World Cup.

Wood's injury is the more serious and will see him ruled out for six weeks, which means he will not be back any earlier than the fourth Test. The speedster was missed during the last Ashes series when England were crying out for a bowler of express pace on some lifeless tracks in Australia.

The 29-year-old broke down in the World Cup final and did not take his place in the field after completing his quota of 10 overs.

Archer had been battling a side strain since the group game against Australia over three weeks ago but played out the tournament with the aid of painkillers.

Jofra Archer (pictured) and Mark Wood will miss the start of the Ashes due to side strains suffered during the World Cup.

Jofra Archer (pictured) and Mark Wood will miss the start of the Ashes due to side strains suffered during the World Cup.Credit: AP

The pace sensation was given permission to return home to Barbados for rest and will not be part of England's 16-man pre-Ashes training camp this weekend. There are reports England do not expect him to be available until the second Test at Lord's.

Wood and Archer, who both clocked deliveries at 154kmh in the World Cup, are the wildcards in an England pace attack expected to include veteran pair James Anderson and Stuart Broad and the dependable Chris Woakes.

There will be questions over both Wood and Archer's durability for the Ashes. Wood has not played a long form game since England's Test tour of the West Indies in February while the uncapped Archer has not been seen in the first-class arena since last September.

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Australia captain Tim Paine said he had not given much thought to England's injuries.

"It doesn't bother me one way or another," Paine said after Australia A's draw with the England Lions in a tour game.

"We're here to play against England's best team and our best cricket is going to be required to win this series.

"Who they have got playing against us, in a sense, is a bit irrelevant.

"We know their best team is going to be very, very good and we’re going to have to be at our best to beat them."

Roy's heroics in the limited-overs arena has undoubtedly played a huge part in his Test promotion. He is set to make his debut after being named in England's 13-man squad for a one-off Test against Ireland at Lord's starting Wednesday.

Roy, who averages 38 in first-class cricket, has become a white-ball specialist who only occasionally plays the longer form of the game. Since the 2017 county season, he has played only three first-class matches.

England have tried six different openers since the last Ashes with only two centuries, by the retired Alastair Cook and Keaton Jennings, whose place Roy has taken - from 56 tries. In Roy, they at least have a player who has the firepower to take on Australia's quicks against the new ball.

England say they have been waiting for the "ideal time" to try the 28-year-old at Test level.

"He was injured at the back end of the ODIs against India last summer and then also when he went back to play for Surrey. So he had two injuries then," England selector Ed Smith said.

"Joe Root and I spoke at length months ago about the scenario in which Jason Roy finished the World Cup confident, full of runs and went straight into the Ashes and that's what we've done.

"It feels like a really good time for Jason to join the Test team as an opener. He's in and has our full backing."

England squad for pre-Ashes camp: Joe Root (c), Moeen Ali, Jimmy Anderson, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler (wk), Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Lewis Gregory, Jack Leach, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

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