LONDON: Uncapped duo James Vince and Josh Ball were both named Thursday in England’s 12-man squad for next week’s first Test against Sri Lanka at Headingley.
Hampshire batsman Vince could well make his Test debut in Leeds, given there is now a vacancy following the retirement through illness of James Taylor.
Nottinghamshire paceman Ball, meanwhile, looks set to compete with Steven Finn for the third seamer role in an attack set to be led by James Anderson and Stuart Broad.
England will again be captained by Alastair Cook, with the Essex left-hander needing just 36 more runs to become the first Englishman to score 10,000 in Tests.
The first Test, which starts at Headingley, Leeds, on May 19, is the first of a three-match series.
England squad: Alastair Cook (Essex, capt), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire, wkt), Jake Ball (Nottinghamshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Nick Compton (Middlesex), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), James Vince (Hampshire)
