The Cricket Thread

Chris Woakes is likely to be left out of the decisive third Test of the West Indies series after enduring a long and testing winter.

Woakes is fit for the match so if he does not make the final XI on Thursday it will be a tactical, performance-based decision by England who are contemplating changes to their seam attack after an exhausting 10 days for the bowlers in Antigua and Barbados.

England were pleased with Matthew Fisher’s debut but are aware of his fitness record and his newness to the intensity of Test cricket, and two changes to the seam attack are being discussed for the final Test on Thursday.

Ollie Robinson has made good progress from the back injury that prevented him playing in Antigua and Barbados while Craig Overton has recovered from the illness that struck on the eve of the second Test.

Both could come in for Woakes and Fisher, although at this stage a debut for Matt Parkinson is unlikely unless England believe the pitch will turn. They have not picked two specialist spinners outside Asia since the Barbados Test in 2019 and will worry that selecting Parkinson will put more strain on Ben Stokes as the third seamer. They are also cautious in selection and picking a debutant leg-spinner with a series on the line would be out of character for risk-averse Joe Root.

Stokes has already bowled 77 overs in the series, his highest workload in two Test series, and sustained a side injury in Sydney in January when over-bowled. England have to manage him carefully.

Woakes arrived in the Caribbean determined to improve his record away from home and seize his chance to be No 1 in the absence of James Anderson but it has not worked out. Flat pitches offering little seam and swing have made him ineffective but he also looks exhausted mentally and physically.

He was a shadow figure in Barbados bowling just four overs in the second innings with Root turning to other, less experienced bowlers ahead of him as West Indies batted for two days in reply to England’s 507 first innings score.

Woakes has played more Tests this winter - five - than any other seamer and a demanding few months has taken its toll.

He is one of only three players on this tour who has been a constant presence. He left home on Oct 10 for Oman to prepare for the Twenty20 World Cup, flying straight to Australia for the Ashes at the end of the tournament. He had four weeks at home after the Ashes before heading to the Caribbean in the last week of February promoted to attack leader, surrounded by inexperienced colleagues.

His return of two wickets in 66 overs at 86 in this series is a massive disappointment for him. England are using this as a developmental tour to rule people out, as well as in, for their plans to rise to the top of the world rankings over the next four years. At 33 Woakes may well have played his final Test overseas.

England arrived in Grenada on Monday with high stakes. They have won just one Test in 17 and lost their last four series. The rot has been stopped in Barbados and Antigua and the batsmen are confident once again but have lacked the cutting edge to get over the line in two Tests.

All the good progress with the bat in Antigua and Barbados will count for nothing if they are mugged this week in Grenada and Root suffers another reverse, condemning him to a blank winter of losses and draws.

Given this tour is with one eye on the future, giving Parkinson a debut would make sense especially with a series in Pakistan later this year which will be played on similar pitches.

He has been a visible presence at both Tests bowling in the intervals with spin coach Jeetan Patel but it was made clear at the start of the tour he is only cover for Jack Leach.

England missed the second spinner in Barbados, with Dan Lawrence and Root capable of bowling good balls but not building the pressure or producing the variety that could have brought a breakthrough as Kraigg Brathwaite broke their will.

“He is ready as can be,” said Paul Collingwood, the interim coach, when asked about Parkinson. “The simple fact is in Covid times we don’t have matches in between to have preparation time for guys who are not playing.

“You have just got to make sure they get time on their feet, get their steps in fitness wise and the overs under their belt so they can be as ready as can be.”

England will want to give little away but it was hardly a glowing endorsement of Parkinson’s chances of playing in a decisive Test.

Balladeer wrote:...why would you do that to yourself Rex? Remember, England's centurion was dropped five times.