Sam Billings has doubled his Test cap tally to two after making a late dash to be a Covid replacement for Ben Foakes.
The Kent captain was due to take the field on Sunday at the Oval in London for the start of a county championship game against Surrey, but got a late call on Saturday night to divert northwards. Foakes had been struggling with a sore back and hadn't taken the field during the day, which meant that Jonny Bairstow stepped in as keeper.
But as the day wore on Foakes' symptoms developed to the point where he took a lateral flow test and it confirmed that he had Covid rather than just a bad back. It is hoped and expected that Foakes will make a full recovery in time to take his place in the side next Friday for the one off Test against India, however Billings may yet be added to the squad as a precaution.
