Olly Stone confirmed as Mark Wood's pace replacement for Lord's Test

Due to a thigh injury, Mark Wood will not be available for the remaining two Tests against Sri Lanka. He has been replaced by 6-foot-7-inch left-arm pace bowler Josh Hall. However, the best XI for the upcoming matches sees OllyStone as Wood's replacement. As with the first Test, England Cricket has announced their best XI two days in advance.

Mark Wood sustained an injury on the third day of the Manchester Test against Sri Lanka and was unable to bowl on the final day. With Wood injured, young left-arm pacer Josh Hall has been called up to the England squad for the first time. Meanwhile, Olly Stone returns to the best XI.

Olly Stone makes a return to Test cricket at Lord’s after a three-year absence. This is the only change to the England XI for the Lord’s Test. The 30-year-old Stone has played only three Tests in his injury-prone career but was a regular member of the England squad when fit. Stone missed most of last season due to a hamstring injury.

England won the first Test of the series by five wickets. The second Test will begin at Lord’s on August 29.

England XI for second Test vs Sri Lanka: 1 Ben Duckett, 2 Dan Lawrence, 3 Ollie Pope (capt), 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Jamie Smith (wk), 7 Chris Woakes, 8 Gus Atkinson, 9 Matthew Potts, 10 Olly Stone, 11 Shoaib Bashir