Stoneman axed as Jennings gets England call

After a humiliating 9-wicket defeat to Pakistan, England Cricket Board has axed Mark Stoneman for the second Test match in Leeds. Keaton Jennings has been called in as Stoneman’s replacement.

After a humiliating 9-wicket defeat to Pakistan, England Cricket Board has axed Mark Stoneman for the second Test match in Leeds. Keaton Jennings has been called in as Stoneman’s replacement.

Jennings who made his debut in 2016 against England was very impressive in his debut scoring a century but then couldn't replicate the form in the latter part of the series which resulted in him losing his place in the team. However, he has been rewarded for his form in the domestic cricket.

Stoneman, on the other hand, experienced a difficult start to his 2018 campaign and has been struggling with the willow. He scored only 4 runs in the first innings while he could just muster 9 runs in the second innings.

"Keaton Jennings showed a strong temperament in scoring a hundred on his Test match debut against India in December 2016," national selector Ed Smith said.

"Keaton has found good form in county cricket this season, including three centuries in his last seven innings."

"Mark Stoneman misses out at Headingley. Mark has experienced a disappointing start to the 2018 season and had a difficult Test match at Lord's," Smith added.

England currently are trailing the two-match test series and will look to settle the score at the Headingley Cricket Ground, where the second test will take place on 1st June.

England squad: Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Joe Root (Captain), Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow (WK), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Dom Bess, Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Chris Woakes.