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Trent Boult has been ruled out of the second Test against South Africa in Wellington with the leg injury he sustained in Dunedin.Boult did not bowl after tea on the fourth day of the opening Test – when he was one of just two frontline seamers alongside Neil Wagner – and even with the final day’s play being washed out there has not been enough time for him to recover.Tim Southee, who was left out in Dunedin to allow New Zealand to accommodate two spinners, will replace Boult although the final XI will not be named until the morning. A twin-spin attack would appear unlikely – the last time New Zealand did that at the Basin Reserve was in 2000 – which leaves Mitchell Santner vulnerable to either Colin de Grandhomnme, who would be a straight swap at No. 8, or Matt Henry who lengthen the tail.”Injuries are part and parcel of cricket,” Southee said. “He has had a big workload with five one-dayers and a big four days in the Test match in Dunedin. Trent being one of the fittest guys in the side does everything he possibly can to keep himself fit, so it’s unfortunate that it has come but I am sure he will be right come Hamilton.”It is the second Test Boult has missed this season after he sat out the Hamilton match against Pakistan with a knee injury.Boult’s absence means New Zealand have lost two of their most experienced players with Ross Taylor having also been ruled out with his calf injury. Neil Broom will make his debut at No. 5. “There’s still a couple of question marks over a couple of players,” Southee said.Faf du Plessis said: “He’s a fantastic bowler and a huge loss for them. But anyone who plays international cricket is dangerous so I assume someone like Matt Henry [will come in] and Tim Southee didn’t play the previous game is a high quality bowler. They’ve still got enough resources. This wicket won’t take as much spin as the last one so I’m expecting they’ll play one spinner.”

Match facts

Qualifier 2, Mumbai Indians v Kolkata Knight Riders
Bengaluru, May 19, 2017
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)4:24

Agarkar: Want Harbhajan back for his experience

Form guide

• Mumbai Indians: lost to Rising Pune by 20 runs, beat KKR by 9 runs, lost to Kings XI by 7 runs

• Kolkata Knight Riders: beat Sunrisers by seven wickets (DLS method), lost to Mumbai by 9 runs, lost to Kings XI by 14 runs

Head-to-head

Overall: Mumbai have won 15 of the 20 matches between the sides.This season: KKR have lost on both occasions from a position of strength. On a greasy Wankhede outfield, they failed to defend 59 off the last 23 balls after removing the cream of Mumbai’s batting line-up. In their last league game at Eden Gardens, they failed to chase down 25 off the last three overs. The loss cost them a finish in the top two.

Big picture

Mumbai Indians shed their tag of slow starts to rack up nine wins in their first eleven matches. They’ve slowed down since, losing three of their last four games. The last two overs, off which they conceded 41, proved costly in the first Qualifer against Rising Pune Supergiant. If there’s one surface where their bowlers can rediscover their mojo, it’s the one at Chinnaswamy.The pitch is unlikely to be too different from the one that hosted the Eliminator. On Wednesday, spinners were tough to get away, and the pacers largely stuck to cutters and cross-seam deliveries to apply the brakes in the first innings before the rain came down. That could force Mumbai go back to Harbhajan Singh, who has picked up seven wickets in the middle overs, the most among Mumbai bowlers. That could mean leaving out one of Karn Sharma or Krunal Pandya, both of whom take the ball away from the right-handers. If the tackiness of the surface warrants an extra batsman, Krunal is likely to get the nod.Knight Riders have a problem or two in the middle order. A six-over shootout against Sunrisers Hyderabad didn’t quite expose it despite their losing three wickets inside the first two overs. Manish Pandey suffered a side strain and has been ruled out. With the surface on the slower side, Knight Riders could bring back Kuldeep Yadav, their most successful spinner this season, and leave out either Ishank Jaggi or Suryakumar Yadav.Bengaluru has witnessed plenty of rain over the past week. The forecast for Friday is no different, although the state-of-the art sub-air system is capable of sucking out nearly 10,000 litres of water per minute. With both sides sure to keep an eye on the weather, the toss could become vital.Will Mumbai Indians bring back Harbhajan Singh for the knockout clash?•BCCI

The likely XIs

Mumbai Indians: 1 Parthiv Patel (wk), 2 Lendl Simmons, 3 Rohit Sharma (capt), 4 Ambati Rayudu, 5 Kieron Pollard, 6 Krunal Pandya, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Mitchell McClenaghan, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Jasprit Bumrah Kolkata Knight Riders: 1 Sunil Narine, 2 Chris Lynn, 3 Gautam Gambhir (capt), 4 Robin Uthappa, 5 Yusuf Pathan, 6 Ishank Jaggi, 7 Suryakumar Yadav/Kuldeep Yadav, 8 Piyush Chawla, 9 Nathan Coulter-Nile, 10 Umesh Yadav, 11 Trent Boult

Strategy punt

Knight Riders could consider opening the bowling with Sunil Narine. Lendl Simmons, his Trinidad and Tobago team-mate, has fallen to him once previously and has scored just five off the nine balls he has faced. Parthiv Patel has also been unable to break free against the offspinner, scoring 17 off 19. In comparison, Simmons and Parthiv have struck at 143.59 and 146.20 respectively against pace this season.Rohit Sharma has been dismissed by legspinners five times this season. KKR have two wristspinners in their squad: Piyush Chawla and Kuldeep Yadav, who can exploit this weakness.

Stats that matter

• This has been Rohit’s poorest IPL season by a distance: he has scored 283 runs at a strike rate of 124.66, while being dismissed for 10 or less nine times – the most times in any of his IPL seasons. His lowest aggregate prior to this was 362, in South Africa in 2009, much before he became an India regular.
• Knight Riders’ batsmen have scored the most runs in the Powerplay among all the teams, partly because of the belligerence of Chris Lynn (187.74) and Sunil Narine (178.33). They possess the best strike rates among all batsmen who have faced 100 or more deliveries this season.
• Knight Riders, however, have scored the fewest runs of all the teams in the end overs.
• Considering Knight Riders have two left-handers in their top six, Mumbai could ponder bringing in Harbhajan Singh for Karn Sharma or Krunal Pandya. Even though he had an ordinary outing in his previous game – conceding 45 off three overs against Kings XI Punjab – it was the only time in 11 games this season that he had conceded more than 6.75 an over. His economy of 5.30 in the Powerplay, meanwhile, is the best among all bowlers who have bowled five or more overs.
• Harbhajan, who has been part of two IPL title-winning squads, has 14 wickets in knockout matches, the most by any spinner and second only to Dwayne Bravo among all bowlers.
• Gautam Gambhir, who steered Knight Riders into the second Qualifer with an unbeaten 32 on Wednesday night, is the second-highest run-getter in the tournament with 486 runs in 15 innings. Three hundred and eighty one of his runs have come in 10 run chases.
• Mumbai lost their only previous knockout match at the M Chinnaswamy stadium, an Eliminator against Chennai Super Kings in 2012.
• Mumbai won their only previous knockout fixture against Kolkata Knight Riders, in 2011, before losing to Royal Challengers Bangalore in the second Qualifier.

West Indies women have picked seamer Tremayne Smartt as a like-for-like replacement for the injured Shakera Selman, for the upcoming limited-overs tour of New Zealand. Smartt hasn’t played international cricket since West Indies’ tour of India in 2016. Her inclusion is the only change from the squad that had been named for the home series against Sri Lanka.Cricket West Indies (CWI) chairman Courtney Browne said continuing the momentum from the series win against Sri Lanka would be crucial in the lead-up to the side’s World T20 defence in November.”We will be hosting the ICC Women’s World T20 event later this year and as defending champions we will want to put on a good show in front of home supporters and win again,” Browne said. “This tour will help us assess where we are and tighten up on those areas that need close attention.”The squad will come together in Barbados for a preparatory camp before travelling to New Zealand where they will have another camp. The three-match ODI series will get underway on March 4, followed by five T20Is.West Indies women squad: Stafanie Taylor (capt), Anisa Mohammed (vice-capt), Merissa Aguilleira, Britney Cooper, Reniece Boyce, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Kycia Knight, Kyshona Knight, Hayley Matthews, Chedean Nation, Akeira Peters, Tremayne Smart

Durham have confirmed the signing of South Africa batsmen Stephen Cook for the first half of the 2017 season.Cook will sign as an overseas player, much to the relief of CSA as it contends with an influx of players into county cricket on Kolpak registrations, so ending their international careers, at least for the foreseeable future.Kyle Abbott (Hampshire), Hardus Viljoen (Derbyshire), Simon Harmer (Essex), Rilee Rossouw (Hampshire) and David Wiese and Stiaan van Zyl (Sussex) have all signed Kolpak deals, although last week Dean Elgar shunned the opportunity when he was confirmed on an overseas player deal with Somerset.For Cook to resist the lure of a Kolpak deal at the ripe old age of 34 – precisely when it is deemed most attractive – is particularly striking. Forced to wait until late in his career for a chance at international level, he is in no mood to concede it.Durham always pursued the overseas player route with Cook. Even if they had proposed a Kolpak option, which they did not, it is questionable whether the ECB would have allowed it. Since Durham were saved from administration by re-forming as a community interest club, with the ECB agreeing a £3.8m rescue package, the county can expect to be monitored closely by the central body for what is viewed as acceptable behaviour.As well as Championship matches for Durham, who were relegated to Division Two with a 48-point penalty, Cook will also play in the Royal London One-Day Cup before joining South Africa’s Test squad for the four-match series against England later in the summer.With two heavy top-order run-makers, Mark Stoneman and Scott Borthwick, moving to Surrey, and Calum MacLeod and the long-serving fringe batsman Gordon Muchall also released, Durham will be desperate for Cook to provide ballast as an opener.Cook burst on to the international scene and scored a century in his first Test innings against England last January, the last Test player to achieve the feat before his new Durham team-mate Keaton Jennings. He has already chalked up two further hundreds in a nine-match Test career, at an average of 41.Jon Lewis, Durham’s head coach, said: “We have been looking to add quality to the squad but also the right character to fit into the dressing room, and we have found someone who has both of those assets in Steve.”Our conversations have been very promising and he comes to us with a fine reputation, built not only through his short international career so far but throughout an excellent first-class record over many years in South Africa and we are looking forward to welcoming him into the changing room.”

ScorecardCameron Bancroft has shown a glimmer of form•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

Just 45 overs were possible at drizzly Hove with Sussex’s Specsavers County Championship match against Gloucestershire destined for a draw unless the rival captains can conjure up with a final-day run chase.Play was restricted to three spells, the lengthiest 32.1 overs in the middle session, and at stumps Gloucestershire had reached 150 for 1 in reply to Sussex’s 358 for 9 declared.The floodlights stayed on throughout but the pink ball did little to assist Sussex’s seamers while Gloucestershire’s batsmen settled for steady accumulation on a slow pitch with a damp outfield a further frustration.Cameron Bancroft made his second successive Championship half-century and Abi Sakande, Sussex’s promising 22-year-old seamer, was rewarded for an impressive spell with his first wicket in four-day cricket.Sakande said: “There is real competition for places just to get into our bowling attack so I knew I had to try and perform well today.I took five wickets against South Africa A a couple of weeks ago and have felt in quite good rhythm and I was pleased to get a wicket and with a bit of luck might have got a couple more.”It’s been a frustrating two days with the rain we’ve had but I have really enjoyed the experience. The pink ball does do a bit early on but then it gets a little soft but we stuck at it “But with Gloucestershire still 198 behind, it will need some imaginative declarations to ensure a decent finish with 150 overs lost so far including the entire second day.Bancroft, the 24-year-old from Perth, showed admirable application in the tough conditions, although he would have been run out on 31 had Jofra Archer’s shy at the stumps at the non-striker’s end hit the stumps.He put on 62 with Chris Dent before Sakande’s big moment when Dent mistimed a pull and was held at deep midwicket for 31.Will Tavare, too, had a let-off on 17 when he drove left-arm spinner Danny Briggs to mid-on but David Wiese failed to cling on to a difficult chance above his head, despite getting both hands on the ball.The ground was virtually deserted when play resumed for the final time at 9pm and Gloucestershire’s second wicket pair extended their stand to 82 from 27 overs with Bancroft 69 and Tavare 43 not out at stumps.

The Associates can compete with Test teamsThere were three victories and one tie for Associates over Test teams in the tournament. Scotland beat Afghanistan and tied their group game against Zimbabwe; Hong Kong upset Afghanistan in the group stages; and then UAE, ranked 14th in the ICC ODI rankings, beat Zimbabwe in a crunch Super Six game, knocking them out of the tournament. The tournament was more competitive than many expected, with 13 victories for lower-ranked teams against higher-ranked ones and every team winning at least one game.This meant there were no easy rides to the World Cup. Before the tournament, West Indies were heavy favourites to qualify, with Zimbabwe and Afghanistan expected to duel for the second qualifying spot. But West Indies were left staring at an early exit when they fell behind in a tight Super Six game against Scotland – they eventually won by five runs on the DLS method. Afghanistan just about made it to the Super Six round after two losses to Associates in the group stages. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s tie against Scotland and shock loss to UAE left them out of the World Cup for the first time since their first appearance in 1983.Nepal’s win over PNG and Hong Kong’s loss to Netherlands secured them ODI status•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Nepal’s remarkable rise culminates in ODI statusAs recently as 2010, Nepal were playing in the sixth tier of world cricket. In less than a decade, they have risen to become one of 16 teams with official ODI status. They made the final step in the World Cup Qualifier, beating Hong Kong to finish fourth in their group and then Papua New Guinea in a playoff match to guarantee an eighth-place finish and with it ODI status. They will now be an ODI team until at least 2022, and while this does not guarantee fixtures against Full Members, it is a remarkable achievement.Crowds prove cricket is still alive in ZimbabweIt has been 15 years since Zimbabwe hosted a major ICC tournament, and there has been a steady decline in their cricket since, causing concern over the future of the sport there. But the crowds throughout the World Cup Qualifiers ranged from encouraging to vociferous, especially when the home side was in action. Attendances were so good, tournament organizers were forced to move a crucial game between Zimbabwe and Scotland from the smaller Bulawayo Athletic Club to the better-equipped Queens Sports Club. They were rewarded with a thrilling tie.With a number of games not being televised, fans took to social media to give a sense of the atmosphere at the grounds during Zimbabwe’s games. Merna Cremer, wife of Zimbabwean captain Graeme Cremer, became a minor celebrity among cricket fans when she live-tweeted scores from the Scotland game during a long powercut at the ground, a period when nobody, not even the ICC, had updates to share.Playing conditions come under scrutinySince not every game was being televised, the ICC decided not to implement the DRS during the tournament, despite there being World Cup spots at stake. Scotland were left bemused after two crucial decisions went against them and played a significant role in their narrowly missing out on qualification.Another questionable move was not having reserve days for any of the matches. The tournament was played in the middle of Zimbabwe’s wet season, and both the West Indies-Scotland and Zimbabwe-UAE Super Six games were affected by rain. Interestingly, Scotland had qualified for the 2015 World Cup after winning a crucial Super Six game on a reserve day, but were denied by the lack of one this time around. The ICC’s decision to cut the number of teams in the World Cup from 14 to 10 had already caused disgruntlement among lower-ranked teams and Associates, and that this tournament did not have some of the playing conditions other ICC events do only heightened that ire.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
File photo – Mohammad Nabi became Afghanistan’s highest wicket-taker in the Intercontinental Cup•ICC/Helge Schutz

Afghanistan allrounder Mohammad Nabi has been a thorn in the side of Ireland in each nation’s battle for Associate supremacy. On a few occasions, Nabi’s Irish needling has been down to his loose adherence to the gentlemanly code expected of cricketers on the field. Far more often though, he has kept Irish eyes from smiling due to his knack of turning in match-winning performances.On Wednesday, he provided a moment in relation to the former, claiming a catch that was in fact a drop and, as was communicated during the television commentary, earned him a hearing in front of the match referee. On Thursday, it was the latter that put him center stage as he shredded Ireland’s batting order with 6 for 40 after the follow-on was enforced. His effort stamped an authoritative seal on an innings victory for Afghanistan inside three days to move them one point past Ireland, and into the lead on the Intercontinental Cup table with two rounds to go.Nabi entered the match needing three wickets to become Afghanistan’s all-time leader in the I-Cup. He ended the second day needing one to tie and two to move past Hamid Hassan. It took him about an hour into day three before he finally drew level by nabbing Andy McBrine on a missed sweep for the eighth Ireland wicket in their first innings.An obdurate innings by John Anderson delayed Nabi’s attempt at moving past Hamid, not to mention the scheduled lunch break. Anderson received decent support from Tim Murtagh and even better resolve from Peter Chase as Ireland’s tail wagged for just short of 41 overs in the opening session of play. Murtagh fell leg-before to a googly from left-arm wristspinner Zahir Khan in the 72nd over but Chase stubbornly resisted for almost 20 more overs before chasing a wide ball, from part-time legspinner Rahmat Shah, that he could easily have left alone. He made a late stab that caught the edge to end the Ireland innings for 261.Afghanistan captain Asghar Stanikzai showed faith in not just the skill but the stamina of his bowlers, who had already toiled for 91.4 overs in the 40-degree heat of Greater Noida since the second session on day two, by enforcing the follow-on rather than coming out for a brief batting burst. They rewarded that faith by rolling over Ireland in less than half the time of the first innings.After a luckless spell prior to lunch when he had achieved considerable reverse swing with the old ball, Dawlat Zadran took just two overs to strike with the new one. Two balls after inducing a false drive from William Porterfield that split second slip and gully, he had Porterfield send another edge to Rahmat at gully. Rashid Khan then followed up his first innings five-for by kissing Andy Balbirnie’s outside edge with a legbreak through to Afsar Zazai, back behind the stumps for the start of the second innings after being relieved of his duties by Mohammad Shahzad on day two.The early wickets paved the way for Nabi to continue his pursuit of the Afghanistan I-Cup bowling record, and how. Batting at No.6, Anderson had played a gritty knock in the first innings to stonewall Afghanistan’s bowlers for more than three hours while finishing unbeaten on 61 off 175 balls. He was promoted to No. 4 in the second innings as Ireland hoped to capitalise on an eye locked in for the long fight they needed to save the match. Instead, Nabi sent Anderson packing for a duck, beating a defensive waft for his third lbw of the match.Three balls later, Nabi sent Ireland’s other candidate for a marathon rearguard packing. Ed Joyce was beaten on a flat-footed effort by a ball that straightened to knock back the off stump to make it 38 for 4 in the 20th over. Seeing that Ireland’s defensive strategy was failing, Niall O’Brien went into attack mode and swept Rashid for two fours and a six over midwicket, but his fourth attempt resulted in a top edge taken by Zazai, who ran from behind the stumps to square leg.Paul Stirling became Nabi’s third scalp in the innings – out for 1 – to cap a nightmarish match for Ireland’s most belligerent batsman. Injured in the field on day one, Stirling was held back until No. 8 on day two with his left index finger in a splint, and managed to last just four balls. On day three, Stirling lasted an over before a half-tracker from Nabi was calamitously pulled straight to Rahmat at midwicket.Gary Wilson offered multiple chances in his charmed 30-ball stay before Rashid won an lbw appeal after he defended down the wrong line to a legbreak pitching on leg stump and straightening. It left Ireland at 69 for 7, level with their worst total in the I-Cup, made against Namibia in 2008.Nabi read Ireland their last rites, reeling off three wickets in his last four overs. McBrine drove a catch to Dawlat at mid-off, Murtagh’s misguided charge resulted in a Zazai stumping and a Dockrell edge to Shahzad at slip gave Nabi his second-best innings haul and best match haul in first-class cricket – 8 for 85 in 40.1 overs.Afghanistan’s last two matches in the I-Cup are in Hong Kong and then a last-round desert showdown with UAE. Wet conditions have wreaked havoc on games in Hong Kong in the recent past. With a trio of innings victories on the trot over Namibia, Netherlands and now Ireland, a rain-affected draw may be the only way to deny Afghanistan from storming to their second I-Cup title and a date with Zimbabwe in the 2018 Test Challenge.

Jon Holland, the left-arm spinner, has been ruled out of Victoria’s JLT One-Day Cup opener because of a precautionary knee surgery due to “wear and tear.”He will be sidelined for up to a month. The vacancy created by Holland’s injury will be filled by Fawad Ahmed, the legspinner.Holland, who played two Tests on the tour of Sri Lanka last year, reported discomfort in his right knee more than a week ago. The injury flared up in Perth during Victoria’s first net session, leading to a “minor surgery” on Wednesday.”Jon reported some discomfort in his right knee following training last week. Initial scans proved inconclusive but Jon continued to feel some discomfort while bowling in Perth and we decided surgery would be the best option ahead of the season,” said Nick Adcock, Cricket Victoria’s Sports Science and Sports Medicine manager.”The surgery on his right knee was successful, and we’re hopeful Jon can return to training after two-four weeks recovery.”Ahmed is the second injury replacement for Victoria in this tournament. Earlier in the week, Xavier Crone was called in to the squad after fast bowler John Hastings injured his back at training.

Big picture

Ben Stokes flying to New Zealand and signing up with Canterbury has been the big news of the week, but there is the small matter of New Zealand’s thin Test summer at home, starting with the two-match series against West Indies.The last time West Indies faced New Zealand in a Test, in June 2014, Jason Holder made his debut and was part of a team that suffered a series defeat at home. Three years later, Holder faces New Zealand as the captain of young side that has defended 189 against India in an ODI, hunted down 322 in the Leeds Test after suffering an innings-and-209-run defeat at Trent Bridge, and sealed a 1-0 Test series win over a full-strength Zimbabwe team in 2017.He believes West Indies are in a “pretty good place” with the present team and heading in the “right direction”. From fearing for his international career, Kemar Roach has fit in as the leader of the attack, which includes Shannon Gabriel, Alzarri Joseph, and Miguel Cummins. Contrastingly, New Zealand are in a not-so-good place. For starters, they haven’t played Test cricket since March, while West Indies have played eight Tests since. They will also have to cope without the injured BJ Watling and Tim Southee, who is on paternity leave.

Form guide

New Zealand: DLDWW (completed matches, most recent first)
West Indies: DWLWL

In the spotlight

With a rock-of-Gibraltar defence and excellent judgement outside off, Jeet Raval is arguably the best candidate to negotiate the new ball on what is expected to be a green top. The opener had a breakout season last summer, and was subsequently added to New Zealand’s list of contracted players for 2017-18. Can he build on the gains now?Unlike Raval, Jermaine Blackwood isn’t really a big fan of defence. Case in point: his second scoring shot in Test cricket was a disdainful thwack over long-on off Trent Boult. Blackwood, though, hasn’t passed fifty in his last 12 innings in internationals and tour matches, and could face competition from Shimron Hetmyer.

Team news

New Zealand have already announced their XI, picking Matt Henry over Lockie Ferguson as a replacement for Southee, and handing a Test debut to wicketkeeper-batsman Tom Blundell at his home ground.New Zealand: 1 Tom Latham, 2 Jeet Raval, 3 Kane Williamson (capt.), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Henry Nicholls, 6 Tom Blundell (wk), 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Colin de Grandhomme, 9 Matt Henry, 10 Neil Wagner, 11 Trent BoultSunil Ambris, who cracked 153 off 145 balls in the middle order in the tour game against a New Zealand A attack that contained seven international bowlers, is likely to make his Test debut and occupy the spot vacated by Kyle Hope.West Indies (probable) 1 Kraigg Brathwaite, 2 Kieran Powell, 3 Shai Hope, 4 Sunil Ambris, 5 Roston Chase, 6 Jermaine Blackwood, 7 Shane Dowrich (wk), 8 Jason Holder (capt.), 9 Kemar Roach, 10 Devendra Bishoo, 11 Shannon Gabriel

Pitch and conditions

Early sightings of the pitch showed grass cover almost indistinguishable from the outfield, but that can often be misleading at this ground. ”It [The pitch] always looks a little bit [green] like that,” Kane Williamson said on Thursday. “There’s always something in the wicket if you do bowl well. But generally, it’s a fair surface which quickens up on day two and three”. The weather is expected to be largely fine for the duration of the match.

Stats and trivia

• West Indies haven’t won a Test in New Zealand since February 1995 when they secured a mammoth innings win at this venue.
• Trent Boult seems to relish bowling at the Basin Reserve: he has 27 wickets in six matches at an average of 28.07, including a 10-for against West Indies.

Quotes

“He [Henry] has been playing well for a long time and hasn’t had the opportunities that he’s deserved. He’s a different bowler to Lockie and has been bowling with good pace, and does tend to move the ball well.”
“Consistency is always our downfall. I think once we get on the park and play as one, I think the performances will come.”

Jamie Porter, the Essex seamer, has been given the all clear following the stress fracture which ruled him out of the England Lions tour to Australia late last year, and is now stepping up his preparations for the Lions trip to the West Indies next month.Porter, who took 75 wickets in Essex’s County Championship winning campaign, was diagnosed with a hot spot in his back – later confirmed to be a stress fracture – before the Lions left for Australia. He was withdrawn from that part of England’s plans and given a recovery process which included joining the Pace Programme at Loughborough and on their pre-Christmas trip to Desert Springs in Spain.A second trip to Spain now beckons on a four-day warm-weather training camp with the Lions before the squad flies out to Jamaica on January 31 for a tour that includes three four-day matches and three one-day games against West Indies A.

Updated Lions squads

Whole tour
Keaton Jennings (Lancashire, capt), Joe Clarke (Worcestershire), Dan Lawrence (Essex), Sam Curran (Surrey), Jamie Porter (Essex), Paul Coughlin (Nottinghamshire), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Nick Gubbins (Middlesex), Alex Davies (Lancashire). Dominic Bess (Somerset)
Red-ball only
Haseeb Hameed (Lancashire), Liam Livingstone (Lancashire), Ben Foakes (Surrey), Toby Roland-Jones (Middlesex), Jack Leach (Somerset), Mason Crane (Hampshire)
One-day only
Sam Northeast (Kent), Liam Dawson (Hampshire), Tom Helm (Middlesex), George Garton (Sussex), Matt Parkinson (Lancashire)

Porter’s injury meant he had to watch the Ashes from afar rather than being alongside the main squad with the chance of a call-up if needed which he admitted was “tough to swallow”.”I got told I had the hot spot and then had a CT scan, so there was a three-day period where we were scratching our heads wondering if I could get through Australia with it,” he told the ECB website. “But when the scan results came back and I saw the stress fracture, that was definitely the final blow.”You look at what followed in the week or so after that, with people in the Ashes squad going down injured, and you just never know. Hopefully I will get the opportunity with the Lions in the West Indies to put things right and put my name in the hat again.””I had my final scan results back on Friday and it’s all clear,” he added. “So I’m back bowling at full whack, and I feel good – and I do want to hit the ground running.”Another pace bowler to suffer a back injury, Toby Roland-Jones, will also continue his comeback on the red-ball portion of the Lions tour. He was hit with his stress fracture just days before the Ashes squad was due to be named, for which he would have been a certain selection following an impressive start to his Test career against South Africa and West Indies.Elsewhere in the Lions squads, Essex’s Dan Lawrence, who was initially only included for the first-class leg of the trip, has been added for the one-dayers to replace Liam Livingstone after his call-up to the Test squad for New Zealand.Livingstone, Ben Foakes and Mason Crane are part of the squad for the three four-day matches against West Indies A before they link up with the Test team for the two-match series at the end of March.Sam Curran, the Surrey allrounder, won’t be part of the pre-tour camp in Spain after the England Lions management decided he was better served continuing his overseas stint with Auckland.