Potts named in England team for first Sri Lanka Test

Matthew Potts' previous Test against Ireland at Lord's was more than a year ago

England have named Matthew Potts in their side as an extra seamer for the first Test against Sri Lanka at Emirates Old Trafford on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old comes in for his first Test in more than year in place of injured captain Ben Stokes, who misses the three-match series with a hamstring injury.

It means England have chosen to cover for all-rounder Stokes with a fourth specialist fast bowler, rather than a batter.

As a result, wicketkeeper Jamie Smith moves up to number six, followed by Chris Woakes at seven, then Gus Atkinson, Potts, Mark Wood and spinner Shoaib Bashir.

In Stokes' absence, Ollie Pope will lead England for the first time, becoming their 82nd men's Test captain.

Harry Brook has been promoted to vice-captain, while Dan Lawrence returns for his first Test in more than two years, taking the place of injured opener Zak Crawley.

Crawley will miss the series after breaking his finger attempting a slip catch on the final day of the third-Test win against West Indies last month.

Both Crawley and Stokes are hoping to be fit for the tour of Pakistan in October.

Stokes was at England's training session on Monday and is likely to remain with the team throughout the series against Sri Lanka, but it was Pope and coach Brendon McCullum who addressed the squad.

In the absence of injured pace bowler Dillon Pennington, who was in the squad for the West Indies series, Potts gets the nod ahead of Nottinghamshire's Olly Stone.

The Durham man won the last of his six caps against Ireland at Lord's more than a year ago and has 23 wickets at an average of 29.

Surrey's Lawrence has not played for England since Stokes and McCullum took charge, the most recent of his 11 Tests coming on the 2022 tour of the West Indies.

The 27-year-old averages 27 with the bat and has not previously opened in Test cricket.

However, Lawrence - who came through the ranks at Essex as an opener - has often opened in white-ball cricket, and done so five times in first-class matches.

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England XI for first Test v Sri Lanka: Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope (captain), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Matthew Potts, Mark Wood, Shoaib Bashir

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"One of the biggest strengths of my game is being fairly adaptable to whatever position I need to bat in," Lawrence told BBC Sport.

"I've been up and down the order for the last few years. Opening, I haven't done it for a while, but I'm really excited to get out there with Ben Duckett and hopefully put on a show."

Lawrence has been around the England squad for most of Stokes' time in charge. He was a reserve batter in the Ashes, on the tour of India and again for the first part of this summer.

While it is likely Crawley will come straight back into the side when he is fit, Lawrence could take inspiration from Brook, whose form when he replaced the injured Jonny Bairstow made him a fixture in the England Test side.

"I'm not actually looking that far ahead," said Lawrence. "I would obviously love to score loads of runs and give Baz [McCullum] a headache, but I fully understand that the top six for 18 to 24 months have been fantastic and I'm sure as soon as Zak’s fit again, he'll come back in.

"I'm just trying to create an impression in these three weeks, really trying to enjoy it and not think about what's going to happen in the future."

Pope, 26, has been deputy to Stokes for most of the past two years. The last time England needed a stand-in Test captain was when Stokes deputised for Joe Root on paternity leave in 2020. An England captain has not missed a Test through injury since Michael Vaughan in 2007.

Pope has led Surrey in one County Championship match in 2021 and eight times in the T20 Blast this season, skippering a side including Lawrence.

"He's very good," said Lawrence. "I don't think he's done a tremendous amount of it for Surrey, but he's obviously a very impressive character and I'm sure he's going to take this week in his stride and really enjoy it.

"He's been a very good player for England over the last couple of years, but I'm sure as a leader he'll be just as good."