by England were sweating over Jordan Cox’s fitness for Thursday’s first Test against New Zealand after the wicketkeeper suffered a blow to his hand ahead of the final day of their solitary warm-up match in Queenstown.
Cox, 24, was due to make his Test debut behind the stumps at Hagley Oval in Christchurch with Jamie Smith, the regular gloveman, missing the tour on paternity leave. But the prospect of his first Test cap will now depend on the severity of a right hand injury sustained while batting in the nets on Sunday.
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As Cox went to a local hospital in Queenstown for a check-up, the short-term knock-on effect was the sight of Ollie Pope taking the gloves on the second day of England’s practice match against New Zealand Prime Minister’s XI. Ben Stokes, who is fully fit but opted to sit out the first day, took the field to captain the team.
Eye-catchingly, it also prompted Jimmy Anderson to don the whites for the first time since he retired from international cricket in July. The 42-year-old, now the team’s bowling coach but hoping to be picked up in the Indian Premier League’s mega auction that begins on Sunday, has been called up as a replacement defensive player.
England currently have 14 players in New Zealand, with Jacob Bethell and Rehan Ahmed due to arrive in Christchurch next week after taking part in the recent white-ball tour of the Caribbean. But with three players having an extra net as England lined up on day two, Anderson was called upon to bolster the numbers.
Pope has always been prepared to be the reserve wicketkeeper in New Zealand, having played that role on an ad hoc basis here in 2019 and then repeated it for two Tests in the 3-0 win in Pakistan at the end of 2022.
If Cox was left out, that would potentially bring Phil Salt, Ollie Robinson (Durham’s) and Michael Pepper into the equation. Jonny Bairstow, who was dropped after the 4-1 defeat in India earlier this year, would be another option.
• This story will be updated
