Cook in line for Test call-up as England ask Essex to rest him

England person asked Essex to remainder seamer Sam Cook this weekend, putting him successful statement for an England Test debut.

Cook, 27, has been 1 of nan standout performers successful region cricket successful caller seasons and will beryllium retired nan County Championship lucifer against Worcestershire, which starts connected Friday, to negociate his workload.

England play Zimbabwe successful nan first Test of nan summertime from 22 May and person wounded concerns astir a number of accelerated bowlers.

Mark Wood and Olly Stone are semipermanent absentees pinch knee injuries while Brydon Carse and Chris Woakes are yet to play this play because of toed and ankle issues respectively.

There person agelong been calls for Cook, an meticulous right-arm bowler, to beryllium fixed a Test debut aft his prolific region form.

He has taken 318 wickets astatine an mean of 19.77 successful first-class cricket.

Cook besides impressed connected England Lions' circuit of Australia successful nan winter. He claimed 13 wickets successful 3 matches, including 3 successful nan first-class lucifer against a beardown Australia A side.

England managing head of men's cricket Rob Key and selector Luke Wright person some publically praised Cook successful caller weeks.

Last year, Key said Cook would person been nan replacement had Woakes been injured astatine nan extremity nan summer, filling nan domiciled arsenic different skilful fast-medium bowler pinch England keen to person assortment successful their gait attack.

Gus Atkinson, England's starring wicket-taker successful 2024, will play his first lucifer of nan play for Surrey this week.

Josh Tongue, who tin vessel astatine a higher gait and played his past Test during nan 2023 Ashes, will besides characteristic for Nottinghamshire, having taken 7 wickets successful their play opener against Durham arsenic he continues his return aft a bid of injuries.

There is dream Jofra Archer will return to red-ball cricket this summertime but he is presently astatine nan Indian Premier League. England do not scheme to callback players from that title early and nan group shape ends 4 days earlier nan Zimbabwe Test.

Durham seamer Matthew Potts, who played successful England's past Test successful New Zealand successful December, is different option.