Exciting time to be a fast bowler - Stokes

Captain Ben Stokes says it is an “exciting time to be a fast bowler in England” as his side prepare to play their first Test since the retirement of James Anderson.

Thursday’s second Test against West Indies at Trent Bridge will be the first time since 2012 that England have played a home game without at least Anderson or Stuart Broad.

“Without sounding too over the top, there was always going to be a time where that was going to hit English cricket,” Stokes told BBC Sport.

“There are going to be opportunities for guys throughout the rest of the summer and over the next 18 months to two years.”

Stokes said Chris Woakes, playing his 50th Test, will “lead the attack” and share the new ball with Gus Atkinson.

Surrey’s Atkinson took 12 wickets on debut in the huge victory in the first Test at Lord’s.

Mark Wood is recalled to take the place of Anderson and, alongside Atkinson, forms probably the paciest England paring since Wood and Olly Stone played against New Zealand in 2021.

Anderson and Broad, England’s two all-time leading wicket-takers, have retired in back-to-back home Tests, albeit almost a year apart. In Anderson’s case, the 41-year-old was moved on by England as part of a raft of changes with the 2025-26 Ashes tour of Australia in mind.

Matthew Potts, who has six Test caps, and the uncapped Dillon Pennington are the unused fast bowlers in England’s squad at Trent Bridge. Managing director Rob Key has also mentioned Essex’s Sam Cook as another who could play this summer.

“It’s a really exciting time to be a fast bowler in England,” said all-rounder Stokes. “It is very exciting, the prospect of seeing Gus Atkinson bowl at one end and Mark Wood at the other.

“There will be opportunities for Dillon no doubt in the summer, but at this moment in time Woody makes it into our strongest XI.”

Stokes also said there is a “plan in place” if Ben Duckett’s partner Paige goes into labour, with the couple expecting their first child.

Nottinghamshire opener Duckett is due to play a Test on his home ground for the first time and is only likely to miss out completely should the birth begin before the match starts on Thursday morning. Dan Lawrence is on standby to come in.

Should Duckett start the match, there is the potential for him to leave for part of it, similar to the situation faced by Joe Denly in the final Ashes Test at The Oval in 2019.

Victory at Trent Bridge would give England an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series and their first series win since the tour of Pakistan in 2022.

West Indies, soundly beaten by an innings and 114 runs at Lord’s, have named an unchanged side. Fast bowler Shamar Joseph has been passed fit after struggling with a left leg injury at Lord’s.

“The guys are very eager and ready to go,” said captain Kraigg Brathwaite. “We have to bat better - we have to find a way. We have to put runs on the board. It’s simple.

“We believe 100% in the guys that played the first Test. Shamar has been good to go for a couple of days.”