England has announced its playing XI for the third and final Test against Sri Lanka at The Oval, starting on September 6. Young seamer Josh Hull is set to make his maiden Test appearance, replacing Matthew Potts in the lineup.
Hull, a 20-year-old left-arm quick from Leicestershire, has been impressive in domestic cricket over the past year. Standing at 6’7″, Hull aims to leverage his height to generate extra bounce and challenge the Sri Lankan batters. His inclusion alongside Olly Stone and Gus Atkinson is expected to bolster England’s already strong bowling attack.
England’s captain for this match, Ollie Pope, spoke highly of Hull’s potential, noting that his height could draw edges from batters and make driving the ball more difficult, particularly if conditions favor bounce at The Oval.
England leads the series 2-0 after winning the second Test by 5 wickets, demonstrating dominant performances throughout the series, including a 190-run victory in the previous match.
England’s Playing XI for the Third Test:
- Dan Lawrence
- Ben Duckett
- Ollie Pope (c)
- Joe Root
- Harry Brook
- Jamie Smith (wk)
- Chris Woakes
- Gus Atkinson
- Olly Stone
- Josh Hull
- Shoaib Bashir
The match promises to be an exciting conclusion to the series, with England looking to maintain their momentum against Sri Lanka.
