Potts set to make Ashes appearance at SCG, with spinner Shoaib Bashir looks like the man to miss out once again.
Following the announcement of England’s 12-man team, which also includes Shoaib Bashir, Matthew Potts is scheduled to make his Ashes debut in the final Test in Sydney.
After Gus Atkinson was sidelined with a hamstring injury sustained in the fourth Test, which England won to make it 3-1, Potts, who has been an unused member of the party for the entire tour, is set to receive his eleventh cap. The only other seamer on the pitch is Matthew Fisher, who was called in from the Lions lineup to take Mark Wood’s position due to a left knee injury. Jofra Archer also exited due to a side strain.
England expects a smoother surface this week at the SCG due to the aftermath from the Boxing Day Test, which included a two-day conclusion due to a spicy MCG pitch. Before choosing an XI, Stokes is waiting to take another look at the surface on Saturday before the Sunday start since it had a faint green tint on Friday.
Although Stokes often announces a team 48 hours prior to the commencement of a Test, he has been more circumspect on this tour due to general conditions uncertainty. For the first Test in Perth, a 12-man team was also revealed; Bashir was left out because England chose an all-pace assault.
With rain predicted for the first two days of the Test, Bashir is probably going to miss out once more. With Will Jacks available as a slow-bowling all-rounder, it is doubtful that England will want two offspin options, nor that Bashir, a No. 11, will take Jacks’ slot given that England wants the additional batting.
Since Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum took control of the team at the beginning of the 2022 summer, Potts has made every Test appearance. In his first five Test matches, the seamer took 20 wickets at an average of 28, demonstrating his unwavering skill with the ball. But when Ollie Robinson returned, he was benched for the last two Test matches of that summer, which were against South Africa.
Opening batter Zak Crawley championed the Durham quick, particularly his work-rate and attitude in the nets over what has been a long two months in Australia.
“Every time I face him he impresses me,” Crawley said of Potts. “He’s got the heart of a lion, a lot of skill, and if he gets the nod this week, he thoroughly deserves it.”