Matthew Potts returns to Old Trafford for Test match, Harry Brook appointed vice-captain

Matthew Potts has been named as the replacement for Ben Stokes in the England's playing XI for the first Test against Sri Lanka. Additionally, Harry Brook will take on the role of vice-captain for the series to support stand-in captain Ollie Pope.

Potts, who earned the last of his six Test caps in the one-off Test against Ireland last summer, has been given the nod ahead of fellow quick Olly Stone and uncapped batter Jordan Cox after Stokes was ruled out of the rest of the summer with a hamstring injury sustained during the Men's Hundred.

Potts, 25, is a team-mate of Stokes for both Durham and Northern Superchargers, and will slot in at No.9 for the fixture at Emirates Old Trafford, which begins on Wednesday. That means promotions up the order for Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes and Gus Atkinson, who will occupy six, seven and eight, respectively.

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While not quite an allrounder, Potts is a handy lower-order batter, as showcased by an unbeaten 149 against Warwickshire earlier this season, which was his maiden first-class century. Nevertheless, the selection adds to the peculiar nature of the XI, which also features Dan Lawrence as opener follow Zak Crawley's finger injury sustained during the last Test against West Indies.

England: 1 Dan Lawrence, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope (capt), 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Jamie Smith (wk),7 Chris Woakes, 8 Gus Atkinson, 9 Matthew Potts, 10 Mark Wood, 11 Shoaib Bashir

More to follow...