England Call Up James Rew as Injury Replacement; Zimbabwe Appoint Gary Ballance as Consultant for One Off Test

England have handed a maiden Test call up to Somerset’s 21 year old wicketkeepe-batter James Rew after Jordan Cox was ruled out due to an abdominal injury.

The injury occurred during Essex’s County Championship match against Somerset, where Cox retired hurt after scoring a century. Rew, who was keeping wickets in the same game, now replaces Cox in the squad for the one-off Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge starting May 22.

This marks the second time Cox has missed a Test debut due to injury, having previously been sidelined during England’s tour of New Zealand last year. Rew, a standout performer in the County Championship with an average of 54.21 this season, has been in scintillating form. 

His recent knock of 116 guided Somerset to victory over Essex, further solidifying his case for selection. A product of the England Lions pathway, Rew was instrumental in the Young Lions’ run to the 2022 ICC U19 World Cup final, alongside current internationals like Rehan Ahmed and Jacob Bethell.

England’s updated squad for the Test includes Ben Stokes (captain), Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, James Rew, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, and Josh Tongue.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe have appointed former England and Zimbabwe batter Gary Ballance as a coaching consultant for the historic Test. Ballance, who played 23 Tests for England before switching allegiance to Zimbabwe in 2023, brings a wealth of experience. He made history by becoming only the second player after Keppler Wessels to score Test centuries for two nations.

Zimbabwe’s managing director, Givemore Makoni, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Gary Ballance to our coaching set-up for this historic tour. His deep understanding of English conditions, gained over years of playing at the highest level, will be a valuable asset to our team’s tactical preparation.”

Zimbabwe, fresh from a competitive Test series in Bangladesh where they secured their first win since 2018, will also be boosted by the return of star all-rounder Sikandar Raza. The one-off Test at Trent Bridge will be their first on English soil since 2003.