Cricket West Indies (CWI) today announced a significant change in the travel and accommodation policy for the West Indies Senior Women’s team. With immediate effect, the members of the West Indies Women’s squad will travel business-class for all long-haul international flights and be accommodated in single rooms for all international assignments, bringing it in line with the policy for West Indies Senior Men’s tours.

These decisions were made at the first CWI Board of Directors meeting following the election of the new President Dr. Kishore Shallow in March. Dr. Shallow said the decision represented more progress for the women’s game in the region as the organisation continues its investment to ensure further growth and development. Achieving equality in women’s cricket is a key initiative in CWI’s strategic plan, and this new investment will contribute to increasing the appeal of the women’s game. CWI has worked closely with the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) to put the new policy in place.

Dr. Shallow said: “On International Women’s Day earlier this year, Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley and I, among other things, deliberated over the inequalities in sports. Today, it is pleasing to support champions like Prime Minister Mottley to tilt the scales in leveling the playing field.”

Dr. Shallow added: “The women’s game in international cricket continues to evolve, and CWI must keep apace and, where possible, lead. Introducing these policies and adding a second female to the board as an independent director are monumental strides in the right direction.”

Wavell Hinds, President and CEO of WIPA said: “We welcome this move by CWI in the quest to achieve greater equality within our work environment among our cricketers. We look forward to achieving similar goals in our ongoing negotiations on the renewal of our MOU for another four-year period.”

As part of the commitment towards achieving equality for Women’s players, a new committee has also been approved by the CWI Board of Directors – the Women's Cricket Transformation Committee. This Committee will act in an advisory capacity to CWI’s Director of Cricket and the wider organization.

The Committee’s remit will include but not be limited to recommending strategies geared towards increasing the interest and participation of women and girls in the sport, as well as proposing cricket competitions, events, and pathways that foster competitive women’s and girls’ cricket.

The West Indies Women will be playing their next international fixtures against Ireland in June and July with the schedule to be announced shortly. Following this, they will have a tour of Australia in October where they will play three One-Day Internationals and three T20 Internationals.

In recent years, CWI has committed significant resources towards the development of women’s cricket at all levels and especially the High-Performance pathway.  CWI has also hosted several skill-specific camps to develop the women’s talent pool and is due to launch the Women’s Academy later this year to ensure the next generation of players have a world-class system in place to aid their professional development on and off the field. 

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, fans of regional cricket were used to a first-class season consisting of each team playing ten games in a home and away format.

Since the return of the West Indies Championship in 2021, the format has been changed drastically.

Now, teams play each other only once, significantly reducing the amount of first-class cricket players around the region are getting to play.

CWI director of cricket, Jimmy Adams, is aware of the concerns raised about the amount of first-class cricket being played in the West indies in comparison to the rest of the world

“The format and structure of the First-Class regional tournament is something that is going to be reviewed coming out of this year,” said the former West Indies batsman.

“We do want to play more First-Class cricket but we also made a commitment to try to play as much higher standard first-class cricket as possible, which is the reason behind the Headley Weekes concept,” he added.

As stated by Adams, the Headley Weekes Tri-Series was introduced this year, with the West Indies Academy coming out victorious.

“We will be reviewing that addition to the season to see if there’s merit in continuing with it. We’re also considering whether we can add more teams to our regional tournament based on the performance of the Academy team in that tournament,” Adams said.

Another solution Adams offered up was the increase in the number of “A” team tours in the future. The West Indies “A” team are currently touring Bangladesh.

“We are conscious of building up more First-Class cricket. A large part of that is also going to revolve around “A” team tours and we have a commitment from CWI to adding regular “A” team series, home and away, for the next cycle which is about three to four years,” Adams said.

“It’s not something that you can put on paper and get a sign-off immediately, it’s ongoing negotiations with board to find windows where we can see teams or send teams away. Again, we are conscious of building up First-Class cricket but the priority is to make sure the standard of it is as high as possible,” he added.

England seamer Kate Cross admitted persistent setbacks in an ongoing battle against a tropical disease has taken a toll on her mental health.

Cross has taken 106 wickets in 73 internationals and is hoping to feature in this summer’s multi-format Ashes series, starting with the only Test on June 22 at Trent Bridge.

But the 31-year-old explained on her BBC No Balls Podcast that she is on her ninth round of antibiotics to treat a parasite that has not only affected her physically but left her feeling despondent.

“I thought I was over this illness and it’s come back with a vengeance,” she said. “It’s my seventh relapse now. The lows have been drastically low.

“When you are playing sport and you are pulled out because of injury, you understand, but because it’s illness based, and every day is different, I’m struggling with that.

“It’s the most resistant thing the doctors have come across. I have found it difficult because I thought the end was in sight nine times now.”

It is believed Cross got the illness during a pre-season trip with Thunder, her domestic side based in the north-west, in Dubai before heading off to Mumbai shortly afterwards.

While she has played three matches in the 50-over Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy competition, Cross was unable to attend England’s pre-Ashes team bonding trip to the Lake District in the last week.

“It makes you realise we’re so close to the summer now and there’s an Ashes not far away and I am very not much ready for it and still really ill,” added Cross, speaking during Mental Health Awareness Week.

“It’s been relentless. You see small stepping stones with injuries but it’s not been like that with this.

“I haven’t left my flat for three days, other than to go to Liverpool to a tropical disease specialist lab.”

Jair McAllister took five wickets as Bangladesh ‘A’ was bowled out for 264 runs on the third day of their four-day unofficial Test at Syhlet International Stadium on Thursday. Forced to follow-on trailing West Indies’ ‘A’ 427-7 declared by 163 runs, the home side were five without loss from the two overs faced in their second innings by close of play.

Bangladesh owed their first innings score to Saif Hasan’s 95 and an unbeaten 64 from wicketkeeper Jakir Ali Janik. Captain Afif Hossain Dhrubo also contributed with 45. However, they were unable to stop the onslaught of McAllister who finished with figures of 5-60 from his 15 overs.

Raymon Reifer (2-44) and Akeem Jordan (2-53) helped dismiss the home side that still trail by 158 runs.

The West Indies resumed from 417-6 with Captain Joshua da Silva on 73 and Kevin Sinclair on 47. The pair advanced the score to 427 when Da Silva was dismissed by Nayeem Hasan for 77. Sinclair remained unbeaten on 53 when the declaration came.

Nayeem Hasan who took da Silva’s wicket finished with 2-116 from 39.3 overs. Mushfik Hasan took 3-54.

Barbados Women’s won all five of their matches to be crowned champions in the CG United Women’s Super50 Cup for 2023. Playing in the final round against Leeward Islands on Wednesday, the Bajans bowled out the hosts for 74 and then reached the target of 75-3 to record an easy seven-wicket victory at Warner Park.

Barbados captain Hayley Matthews was one of the tournament’s leading performers and said it was a joy to win their fourth consecutive 50-overs regional title. She showered praise on her team-mates.

“We had high expectations so it was really good that we could have a good start to the tournament and finish it with a really good win. Throughout the tournament, we had performances and contributions from everyone which was very pleasing. The juniors were given an opportunity to come through and find their game and they did exactly that. I’m very happy with the way the seniors and junior came together to win the title,” she said.
In the other matches on Wednesday: Trinidad and Tobago Red Force Divas defeated Guyana by 76 runs at St Paul’s Complex to end in second place, while Jamaica beat Windward Islands by eight runs in a close contest at Conaree.

The players will now switch to the T20 Blaze tournament which starts on Saturday at Warner Park.

MATCH SCHEDULE

CWI T20 Blaze (Round 1-4 to be played at Warner Park)

Round 1: Saturday 20 May

Windward Islands vs Guyana – 10am

Leeward Islands vs Jamaica – 2:30:pm

Trinidad & Tobago red Force Divas vs Barbados – 7pm

Round 2: Sunday 21 May

Windward Islands vs Leeward Islands – 10am

Guyana vs Barbados – 2:30pm

Jamaica vs Trinidad & Tobago Red Force Divas – 7pm

Round 3: Tuesday 23 May

Trinidad & Tobago Red Force Divas vs Windward Islands – 10am

Jamaica vs Barbados – 2:30pm

Guyana vs Leeward Islands – 7pm

Round 4: Thursday 25 May

Jamaica vs Guyana – 10am

Leeward Islands vs Trinidad & Tobago Red Force Divas – 2:30pm

Barbados vs Windward Islands – 7pm

Round 5: Saturday 27 May – 8am

Leeward Islands vs Barbados – Warner Park

Trinidad & Tobago Red Force Divas vs Guyana – St Paul’s

Jamaica vs Windward Islands – Conaree

Captain Joshua da Silva scored an unbeaten half-century as West Indies ‘A’ took command against Bangladesh ‘A’ on day two of the first unofficial Test between the two countries at Syhlet on Wednesday.

At close of play Da Silva was unbeaten on 73 and Kevin Sinclair not out on 47 with the West Indies 417-6.

Resuming from their overnight score of 220-2 with Tagenarine Chanderpaul on 70 and Alick Athanaze on 35, the West Indies ‘A’ pressed on to 281 when Chanderpaul was dismissed by Musfik Hasan for 83.

He had his seven fours in his 236-ball stay at the crease before Hasan had him caught behind. Four balls later Hasan caught and bowled Brandon King for a duck as the West Indies slipped from 281-2 to 281-4 after 83 overs.

Six balls and two runs later, Athanaze’s aggressive knock came to an end when he was trapped lbw by Ripon Modol for 85 and all of a sudden the West Indies were in danger of collapse at 283-5. Athanaze faced 98 balls during which he struck 12 fours and three sixes.

Da Silva and Yanick Cariah took the score past 300 during a partnership of 34 that ended when the latter was stumped off the bowling of Nayeem Hasan for 14.

The captain and Sinclair then put on an unbeaten partnership of 100 by close of play.

Musfik Hasan who took the wicket of Kirk McKenzie for 86 and Raymon Reifer for 26 on Wednesday’s opening day has been the best bowler so far taking 3-54 from the 20 overs he bowled.

Dwayne Bravo has returned to Trinbago Knight Riders ahead of the 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL). Bravo returns to the Knight Riders after two seasons with the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, having won the title with them in 2021.  

Bravo is the leading wicket taker in T20 history and has more wickets than any other player at the CPL with 124 victims in this 97 matches. Bravo is also the leading wicket taker for the Knight Riders with more than 100 wickets for his home franchise. 

The all-rounder represented the Trinidad franchise from 2013 to 2020 claiming the title four times in that period. With five CPL titles Bravo is the most successful player in the tournament’s history and he is synonymous with Trinidad cricket so his return to his home team will be an exciting prospect for Knight Riders fans.

TKR Captain Kieron Pollard was elated at the news.

"Very exciting times. The champion DJ Bravo is coming back to his home franchise TKR," he said.

"Our relationship and our friendship is second to none and this is a very good opportunity for us both to represent TKR together once again, in the upcoming season. We are very happy to have him back in red and black."

 Venky Mysore, TKR Team Director was also glad to have Bravo back in the TKF fold.

 “DJ (Champion) Bravo has been one of the key pillars on which TKR has been built," he said.

"We are delighted to welcome him back home and look forward to another enjoyable season. There’s no doubt the entire #TeamTKR and our fans will eagerly look forward to seeing him back in TKR colours.”

The complete squads for the Republic Bank CPL will be announced during the draft show which will be broadcast at the end June 2023. 

James Anderson is ready to sit out England’s first Test of the summer against Ireland but is confident a groin strain picked up on county duty will not hold him back from next month’s Ashes opener.

The country’s record wicket-taker pulled up sore during day one of Lancashire’s LV= County Championship clash against Somerset last week and sat out the remainder of the clash.

His absence brought back memories of the 2019 series against Australia, when he battled back from a torn calf only to break down again on the first morning of the first Test and bring an early end to his summer.

Scans allayed the worst of those fears and even allowed the 40-year-old to appear in a 15-man squad for the one-off Lord’s Test against Ireland on June 1, but England may ultimately be happier to wrap their lead seamer in cotton wool ahead of the Ashes opener at Edgbaston two weeks later.

“I think I will be fit for the Ireland game. Whether I play or not is probably another matter really. I definitely don’t want to risk it,” he said, at an appearance for new England sponsors Radox.

“I am desperate to be fit for the first Ashes Test. If that means missing the Ireland Test, so be it.

“I feel good. I had a scan on the second day of that game – it was a little groin strain. It’s a 10-day recovery period, and I’m rehabbing already, running next week.

“It was the best result of a bad situation. That situation (in 2019) was a different injury, a more serious injury. I ripped my calf earlier that summer, and it was a real push to try to get fit for that first Test. I don’t feel like this is anywhere near that severity.”

Anderson was making his fourth appearance of the county season when he went down at Emirates Old Trafford, tuning up nicely with 16 wickets, and realised instantly he needed to withdraw.

“I was disappointed to have to pull out of a game but, with what’s to come in the summer, it was actually a pretty good result,” he said.

“It was weird how it worked out. The last ball of my spell I felt something not quite right. I came straight off, and then we came pretty much straight off for rain after that. I pulled up the next day and it wasn’t right. I went for a scan that night and it showed a strain, so there was no point risking it.”

Anderson’s likely absence against Ireland creates opportunities elsewhere, with the returning pace pair of Chris Woakes and Matthew Potts eager for action as they seek to force their way back in.

:: Anderson was speaking at a partnership launch announcing Radox as an official partner of England Cricket. Radox will be keeping cricketers and fans feeling refreshed this summer.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced the appointments of Mr Hallam Nichols and Ms Gail Mathurin as new members of the CWI Board of Directors for a one-year period.

The new non-member (independent) directors were appointed following the Board of Directors meeting on Thursday, 11 May. Mr Nichols is an experienced and successful businessman based in Barbados. Ms Mathurin is a former Jamaica High Commissioner to London as well as Director-General of CARICOM’s Office of Trade Negotiations.

With Ms Mathurin being named as a Director it now means that CWI will for the first time in its history have two women on the Board of Directors. The other non-member directors are Mrs Debra Coryat-Patton, a Trinidadian attorney, and Mr Manniram Prashad, a past Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce for Guyana, who were both re-appointed for a one-year period.

“We are privileged to have these two esteemed professionals, Ms. Mathurin and Mr. Nichols, as new Directors of CWI. They bring a wealth of experience with a global perspective and are highly knowledgeable about the dynamics of commercial and trade in our region,” said CWI President Dr Kishore Shallow.

“Undoubtedly, the organization will benefit immensely from their involvement and the return of Directors Coryat-Patton and Mr Prashad.”

Dr Shallow added that adding a second woman to the board is in step with CWI’s aim to bring greater diversity to the administration of the sport in the region.

“Appointing two women out of the four positions for independent directors is consistent with the aim to bring more diversity to the boardroom of Cricket West Indies. Both Ms. Mathurin and Mrs. Coryat-Patton are first-rate experts in their respective fields, and with enthusiasm, I look forward to their meaningful contributions to the Board,” said Dr Shallow, who was elected president in March.

Meanwhile, Mr Nichols said he hopes to help CWI grow.

 “I am honored to have been afforded the opportunity by Dr. Kishore Shallow and Cricket West Indies to serve in this capacity and offer my years of experience in business to help advance the West Indies cricket's agenda,” he said.

‘I am particularly keen in helping to shape the business of sport, as cricket still has tremendous untapped potential for us here in the Caribbean. I look forward to contributing to put smiles back on the faces of our people.”

Ms Mathurin said she is looking forward to working closely with the CWI president in helping to achieve his goal of helping West Indies cricket overcome its ongoing challenges.

 “As a long time, passionate fan and supporter of West Indies cricket, I am very honoured to be appointed as an independent director to the Board of CWI. I am looking forward with great excitement to working with the President Dr. Kishore Shallow, other members of the Board and the Secretariat of CWI, in addressing the challenges facing our cricket at this time.”

Lead selector for the West Indies Men’s senior team, The Most Hon. Dr Desmond Haynes, says Shimron Hetmyer made himself available for the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe but was not picked because team management wanted to stay with a team similar to the one that had success in South Africa in March.

The West Indies drew the ODI series 1-1 before enjoying a 2-1 victory in the T20s.

“Yes, Hetmyer was available. He did send through an email to Jimmy (Adams), our director of cricket, stating that he was available for the tour,” Haynes said.

“We have a new captain in Shai Hope and he was very happy to express his views about the type of camaraderie we had in the team in South Africa.

We as selectors saw some commitment and a real change in our approach to one-day cricket and we thought it’s only fair to stick with those guys at this time,” he added.

The left-hander, currently representing the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL), last represented the regional side in the ODI format in 2021 against Australia. His last T20I appearance for the Windies came in August last year against New Zealand.

Although initially selected for the T20 World Cup in Australia between October and November last year, he was replaced in the squad after failing to board a rescheduled flight to Australia.

Haynes, however, made it clear that this is by no means the end for Hetmyer or any player who wasn’t selected.

“I must say, though, that I want the public to know that nobody has been ruled out of selection for the West Indies. We do not have the depth of players to rule out anybody for selection,” Haynes added.

The West Indies will take on the UAE in three ODIs from June 5-9 before moving over to Zimbabwe for the World Cup qualifiers from June 18-July 9.

Trinbago Knight Riders have appointed former West Indies coach Phil Simmons as their new head coach. He replaces Abhishek Nayar, who is currently the assistant coach for Kolkata Knight Riders.

TKR, the most successful team in the history of the Caribbean Premier League with four titles, finished bottom of the league stage last year and failed to make the playoffs for the first time.

Simmons has previous coaching experience in the CPL as well and, in his most recent stint, he won the title with Barbados Royals, who were then known as Barbados Tridents.

Simmons has had two stints as head coach of West Indies, with his most recent one ending with their tour of Australia in December last year. He then went on to coach Dubai Capitals in the inaugural season of the International League T20, leading them to the playoffs.

"As captain, I'm very excited to have coach Phil with us. We have a great chemistry working together as a pair," Knight Riders captain Kieron Pollard said.

"We've done it in the international scene, and it's great that we are getting the opportunity to work for TKR. Hopefully, this combination will bring smiles and some exciting results back to TKR," he added.

Apart from West Indies, Simmons has also coached Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan.

CPL 2023 gets underway on August 16, with Knight Riders playing their first game on August 19 against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.

A superb all-round performance from captain by Hayley Matthews led Barbados to a big victory over Windward Islands at St. Paul’s Grounds in the CG United Women’s Super50 Cup.

The world-rated all-rounder took a six-wicket haul, including a hattrick, and made a half-century as the Bajans secured a 73-run victory on Monday. The victory has put the defending champions on course for a third successive title.

Sent into bat first, Barbados posted 228-6 from their 50 overs. Matthews notched her second half century of the tournament to top-score with 64 off 74 balls, which included five fours and a six, while Kyshona Knight continued her good form with 55 from 82 balls and Aaliyah Alleyne added 47.

Matthews and Knight shared in an 89-run partnership for the second wicket. Zaida James was the pick of the Windwards bowlers, finishing with figures of 10-1-38-2.

Afy Fletcher led the Windwards run-chase with a captain’s knock of 43 from 36 deliveries. She shared a 44-run second wicket partnership with Zaida James but it was the 37-run ninth wicket partnership between Pearl Etienne and Nerissa Crafton that gave Windwards hope.

Matthews took her best List A figures of 10-2-28-6, as she ran through the Windwards batting order.

Windwards were all out for 155 in 32.2 overs. Fast bowler Shamilia Connell had the next best bowling figures of 3.2-0-18-2.

At Warner Park, Guyana lost seven wickets in their chase of 67 runs in 28 overs to defeat Jamaica by three wickets via the Duckworth/Stern/Lewis method in a rain-affected match.

Jamaica batted first and made 94 in 40.3 overs. Natasha McLean was the top scorer with 31 and Stafanie Taylor scored 15. Plaffiana Millington was the best Guyanese bowler with figures of 10-5-21-3 followed by Ashmini Munisar with 6-0-15-2.

The rains came with Guyana on 7-0 after four overs and kept falling for almost three hours, forcing the implementation of the DLS method. 

Guyana looked set to cruise to victory but the Jamaica bowlers struck at consistent intervals to cause a spot of panic in the Guyanese camp. But West Indies Under 19 captain Ashmini Munisar showed nerves of steel as she guided her team to victory before the clouds burst again for light rain. Munisar scored 11 not out from 13 deliveries. Celina Whyte was the best Jamaica bowler, with figures of 6-0-14-3 followed by Kate Wilmott with 3-0-15-2.

At Conaree Sports Ground, the day’s third contest between Trinidad and Tobago Red Force Divas and the Leeward Islands had to be abandoned due to rain.

This was not before Djenaba Joseph was able to strike her highest List A score of 90, sharing in an 81-run partnership with skipper Anisa Mohammed to was not out on 45, to take the Red Force Divas to their highest total of the competition, 253-6 from their 50 overs.  The rains came during the innings break and never subsided for play to resume, forcing match officials to abandon the match.

Barbados lead the table with 16 points followed by Trinidad & Tobago (10), Windwards (8), Guyana (8), Jamaica (4) and Leewards (2).

The fifth and final round of matches will be played on Wednesday. Jamaica face the Windwards at Conaree; Barbados face hosts Leewards at Warner Park; while Trinidad & Tobago Red Force Divas meet Guyana at St Paul’s.

Half centuries from Kirk McKenzie and Tagenarine Chanderpaul have left West Indies “A” in an excellent position after day one of their first four-day “Test” against Bangladesh “A” at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, the tourists ended day one 220-2 off 68 overs.

McKenzie and Chanderpaul laid a solid foundation with a 130-run opening partnership.

McKenzie led the way with a 124-ball 86 including 12 boundaries and a six while Chanderpaul ended the day 70* off 190 balls including five fours.

Raymon Reifer was the other batsman dismissed for 26 while Alick Athanaze was 35* alongside Chanderpaul at stumps.

Jofra Archer has been left “distraught” after yet another injury nightmare saw him ruled out of England’s entire Ashes summer with a new stress fracture in his right elbow.

Archer has not played Test cricket for more than two years but had high hopes of returning to face Australia after a long and arduous journey that has seen him undergo several bouts of surgery on his elbow, as well as a stress fracture of the back which derailed his planned comeback last year.

But he is now facing another extended period on the sidelines and there must now be grave doubts as to whether the 28-year-old will ever again be available for the demands of the five-day format.

He made his first tentative steps towards full recovery earlier this year, featuring in England’s limited-overs tours to South Africa and Bangladesh, but his body has once again broken down following a stint in the Indian Premier League.

Archer appeared just five times for Mumbai Indians, bowling 20 overs in total, and made a mid-tournament visit to Belgium for further treatment on his elbow.

He reacted angrily on social media when news of that trip was reported in the media and managed to bowl at express pace after returning to the IPL. But he was sent home injured soon afterwards and England’s worst fears have now been realised.

He was seen as a key figure in ruffling Australian feathers, as he did during his Test debut at Lord’s in 2019 when an unforgettable duel with Steve Smith left the batter concussed by an unplayable bouncer.

Rob Key, director of men’s cricket at the England and Wales Cricket Board, said: “He’s got another stress fracture in an elbow that’s been trouble for a long time.

“I’m hoping at some point Jofra deserves a bit of luck with this, because the poor lad is pretty distraught about what’s happened and it’s only just happened recently.

“You just hope that luck turns for him at some point as I’m sure it will. I’m sure we will see Jofra back to his best and winning games for England, whatever the format.”

Whether he has a chance of featuring in October’s ODI World Cup, helping defend the title he delivered in 2019 by closing out the super over in the final, remains to be seen.

Archer’s stellar abilities with the white ball, allied to his long history of fitness problems, mean there have been long-standing worries over his Test career.

Key made it clear he has no concerns around the player’s desire to succeed with the red ball, but accepted it was impossible to predict how the future will now play out for him.

“Sometimes you get the feeling that the people think he’s going to go down the white-ball road and he’s not going to be interested in Test cricket, that there’s other things on his mind that come first. That’s absolutely not the case,” he said.

“He is desperate to play all forms of cricket. He’s been desperate to play Test cricket as well and I hope that he gets the chance to do that.

“But at the moment, all cricket’s been too much for his body to cope with and we need to get past that. You just hope that down the line he will overcome this, that body will get robust enough to be able to deal with the rigours of everything. I wouldn’t sit here now and rule anything out.”

It seems fanciful to think his modest workload in the IPL has forced an injury that would not have happened had be been playing first-class cricket with Sussex, where he would have bowled more in a solitary LV= County Championship fixture.

Even so, Key promised to pore over how England managed his return to playing over recent months.

“We’re going to look at every single thing we’ve done,” he said.

“Everything we’ve done has been what we thought was the right thing for the player first – not actually for anyone else – to say what’s the best way for him to be able to have the best career he can possibly have.

“The fact is that he’s not been able to bowl more than four more overs without feeling any sort of pain so, regardless of the way that we’ve gone, whether it’s been right or wrong, I don’t think I’d change anything.”

Archer played the last of his 13 Tests against India in February 2021 and went on to have two separate operations to try to resolve the stress fracture in his elbow.

He has since missed two T20 World Cups, including England’s victory in Australia in October, as well as the previous Ashes tour Down Under in 2021-22.

James Anderson is set to be named in England’s first Test squad of the summer despite the groin injury that forced him out of action for Lancashire last week.

Alarm bells started ringing when the country’s record wicket-taker sat out the last three days of the LV= Insurance County Championship clash against Somerset, with the England and Wales Cricket Board confirming over the weekend that the seamer had a “mild strain to his right groin”.

England are due to to announce their group for the Test against Ireland on Tuesday morning and, although they will take no risks with Anderson’s fitness when it comes to team selection, the 40-year-old is expected to be included.

Anderson will continue to be assessed but a decision on his participation in the Lord’s curtain-raiser, which acts as England’s only competitive Ashes warm-up and and runs from June 1-4, will not be made until closer to the time.

Zak Crawley will also be hoping he retains the faith of a selection panel convened by director of cricket Rob Key. Former England all-rounder Luke Wright was involved for the first time, joining captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum.

Crawley’s place has been frequently scrutinised and a batting average of 27.60 across 33 Tests makes him vulnerable, but he has been given a long leash due to his high ceiling and ability to set a free-flowing tempo at the top of the order. An early season knock of 170 for Kent was testament to his up-side, but his lack of consistency comes through in his average of 38.88 in nine innings.

Stokes himself has been touted as a potential replacement at opener, a high-risk move that would represent a profound change of role for the skipper. There are lingering concerns over his preferred job as an all-rounder too though.

After his longstanding left knee injury flared up during February’s tour of New Zealand, Stokes spoke of his frustration at being unable to deliver as the side’s fourth seamer and his desperation to be back at full capacity in time for the Ashes.

But his time with Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League has proved trying, playing just twice for the franchise and sending down a solitary over at the cost of 18 runs. The 31-year-old subsequently picked up a toe problem and a further unspecified “setback” before being kept on the sidelines once available.

CSK have preferred another English all-rounder, Moeen Ali, due to his contribution as an off-spinner, but head coach Stephen Fleming has shed further light on the matter.

Speaking after his side’s defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday, the New Zealander suggested Stokes’ seamers were not currently an option and that he was instead being viewed as a specialist batter ahead of the final group-stage match.

“Ben’s ability to bowl overs at the moment is still a bit of a challenge, but he’s there as that batting cover,” said Fleming.

“But with Moeen bowling well in good conditions – we go to Delhi [next] which has been turning – we think the balance of the side has been right. We’re second on the table, so it’s not our style to chop and change just because we’ve had a loss where things didn’t go our way.”

Jonny Bairstow will make his return to the England set-up, almost 10 months on from breaking his leg in three places during a freak accident at a golf course. Bairstow was England’s star performer in 2022, at one stage smashing four centuries in five innings to give the new regime a thrilling, winning start.

Stokes and McCullum had both previously suggested that he would walk back into the side when fit, but there remains speculation over his role. With Harry Brook excelling since stepping into his fellow Yorkshireman’s boots at number five, he could be vying with Ben Foakes for the wicketkeeping gloves.

England would be reluctant to dispense with a man they deem to be the best pure gloveman in the world, and a steadying influence at number seven, and will be tempted to defer the final decision by taking both Foakes and Bairstow to Lord’s.

With Jofra Archer’s ongoing elbow complaint and Olly Stone’s hamstring problem taking them out of the equation, England’s pace unit should look familiar with Stuart Broad, Ollie Robinson and Mark Wood to the fore.

Durham quick Matthew Potts has taken 24 wickets at 22.50 in Division Two to push his name back into centre stage after failing to feature over the winter, while Chris Woakes could also get the call 14 months on from his last Test appearance.

The Warwickshire man missed the entire 2022 home season through injury and has yet to play since Stokes and McCullum took the reins, but he boasts a fine record in English conditions and would strengthen the lower-order batting.