Sidelined: Chris Woakes is carrying shoulder and knee injuries after a tough winter schedule
(Picture: AFP via Getty Images)Chris Woakes appears certain to be ruled out of England’s opening Test of the summer against New Zealand at Lord’s having failed to shake off injuries picked up on the tour of the Caribbean in March.
Woakes was one of only two England players (the other being Jonny Bairstow) to tour the Caribbean in the winter plus Australia for the Ashes and UAE for the T20 World Cup.
The absence of James Anderson and Stuart Broad, plus injuries on tour for Ollie Robinson and Mark Wood, forced Woakes into playing three Tests in three weeks in the Caribbean. The series capped a tough winter in Test cricket that saw him take just 11 wickets in five matches.
At 33, Woakes’ body struggled to stand up to the schedule and he has returned to Warwickshire with a variety of injuries, notably to his shoulder and knee. He is not expected to require surgery, but is not ready to play yet.
England are due to name a squad next week, which is also bad news for Dan Lawrence, who batted No4 in the Caribbean (it has since been confirmed that Joe Root will return to that spot). Essex do not have a Division One fixture this week, and Lawrence has missed the last two rounds of action with a hamstring injury.
Woakes had a poor winter but has a superb record at Lord’s, where the First Test against New Zealand begins on June 2, and his name is on all three honours boards for making a century and taking five and 10-wicket hauls.
The series continues at Trent Bridge on June 10. If Woakes was able to take the field for Warwickshire’s meeting with Yorkshire next week, he might come into contention for that game.
England already have a raft of injured bowlers. Sam Curran is batting well for Surrey but has few overs in his legs, while Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Olly Stone will all miss the series.
Robinson took a five-wicket haul in his first appearance of the season for Sussex and will come into contention alongside James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Saqib Mahmood and Craig Overton for three seam-bowling spots.
