The Hundred has been hit by the withdrawal of a second English star after Jonny Bairstow decided to follow the example of his Test captain, Ben Stokes, in choosing to rest rather than play in the England and Wales Cricket Board’s showpiece tournament.
In a hectic international summer Bairstow has played in all four England Tests as well as nine of their 12 white-ball games, missing only the three Twenty20 matches against India. Having been named in the squad for the first two of three Tests against South Africa, which start at Lord’s on 17 August, he has decided that some time away from the game is required.
