Exciting time to be a fast bowler - Stokes

Captain Ben Stokes says it is an “exciting clip to beryllium a accelerated bowler successful England” arsenic his broadside hole to play their first Test since nan status of James Anderson.

Thursday’s 2nd Test against West Indies astatine Trent Bridge will beryllium nan first clip since 2012 that England person played a location crippled without astatine slightest Anderson aliases Stuart Broad.

“Without sounding excessively complete nan top, location was ever going to beryllium a clip wherever that was going to deed English cricket,” Stokes told BBC Sport.

“There are going to beryllium opportunities for guys passim nan remainder of nan summertime and complete nan adjacent 18 months to 2 years.”

Stokes said Chris Woakes, playing his 50th Test, will “lead nan attack” and stock nan caller shot pinch Gus Atkinson.

Surrey’s Atkinson took 12 wickets connected debut successful nan immense triumph successful nan first Test astatine Lord’s.

Mark Wood is recalled to return nan spot of Anderson and, alongside Atkinson, forms astir apt nan paciest England paring since Wood and Olly Stone played against New Zealand successful 2021.

Anderson and Broad, England’s 2 all-time starring wicket-takers, person retired successful back-to-back location Tests, albeit almost a twelvemonth apart. In Anderson’s case, nan 41-year-old was moved connected by England arsenic portion of a raft of changes pinch nan 2025-26 Ashes circuit of Australia successful mind.

Matthew Potts, who has six Test caps, and nan uncapped Dillon Pennington are nan unused accelerated bowlers successful England’s squad astatine Trent Bridge. Managing head Rob Key has besides mentioned Essex’s Sam Cook arsenic different who could play this summer.

“It’s a really breathtaking clip to beryllium a accelerated bowler successful England,” said all-rounder Stokes. “It is very exciting, nan imaginable of seeing Gus Atkinson vessel astatine 1 extremity and Mark Wood astatine nan other.

“There will beryllium opportunities for Dillon nary uncertainty successful nan summer, but astatine this infinitesimal successful clip Woody makes it into our strongest XI.”

Stokes besides said location is simply a “plan successful place” if Ben Duckett’s partner Paige goes into labour, pinch nan mates expecting their first child.

Nottinghamshire opener Duckett is owed to play a Test connected his location crushed for nan first clip and is only apt to miss retired wholly should nan commencement statesman earlier nan lucifer starts connected Thursday morning. Dan Lawrence is connected standby to travel in.

Should Duckett commencement nan match, location is nan imaginable for him to time off for portion of it, akin to nan business faced by Joe Denly successful nan last Ashes Test astatine The Oval successful 2019.

Victory astatine Trent Bridge would springiness England an unassailable 2-0 lead successful nan three-match bid and their first bid triumph since nan circuit of Pakistan successful 2022.

West Indies, soundly beaten by an innings and 114 runs astatine Lord’s, person named an unchanged side. Fast bowler Shamar Joseph has been passed fresh aft struggling pinch a near limb wounded astatine Lord’s.

“The guys are very eager and fresh to go,” said skipper Kraigg Brathwaite. “We person to bat amended - we person to find a way. We person to put runs connected nan board. It’s simple.

“We judge 100% successful nan guys that played nan first Test. Shamar has been bully to spell for a mates of days.”