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Kent Cricket's Zak Crawley has been retained in England's 14-man squad ahead of the first Test of their three-match series against Pakistan
14:43, 29 July 2020
updated: 15:03, 29 July 2020
Kent batsman Zak Crawley has kept his spot in England's unchanged 14-man squad for the first of their three Tests against Pakistan.
Crawley, 22, played in the first two Tests of England's three-match series against the West Indies, scoring 76 in the second innings of the first Test.
But he was dropped for the third Test at Old Trafford which Joe Root's team won to win the series 2-1.
England's series against Pakistan, which begins on August 5, will again be played in a secure "bio-bubble" without spectators.
Four reserves - James Bracey, Ben Foakes, Jack Leach and Dan Lawrence - will also report to the Manchester venue.
National selector and ex-Kent batsman Ed Smith said: "After three Tests in quick succession against the West Indies, we now turn to an equally condensed Test series against Pakistan, with 15 days of Test cricket scheduled in a three-week period.
"Our 14-man squad is unchanged.
"County cricket now restarts on Saturday, August 1.
"We want to have sufficient reserves inside the bio-secure Test match ‘bubble’ but we may also want to give opportunities, where possible, for the reserves to play county cricket.
"As we seek the best balance here, England may make changes to the reserves during the three-match series against Pakistan."
The squad and reserves are due to report to Old Trafford on Sunday, having been permitted a few days at home with their families.
England's squad for the first Test: Joe Root (Yorkshire, captain), James Anderson (Lancashire), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Dominic Bess (Somerset), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Rory Burns (Surrey), Jos Buttler (Lancashire, wk), Zak Crawley (Kent), Sam Curran (Surrey), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Dom Sibley (Warwickshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Mark Wood (Durham).
Reserves: James Bracey (Gloucestershire), Ben Foakes (Surrey, wk), Dan Lawrence (Essex), Jack Leach (Somerset).