Shropshire Star

England call up Foakes to replace injured Billings

A dislocated shoulder has ruled Billings out of the upcoming ODI against Ireland and the T20 with Pakistan.

Published

Surrey wicketkeeper Ben Foakes is in line to make his white-ball debut for England after a dislocated shoulder felled Kent’s Sam Billings.

Billings was due to play in next Friday’s one-day international against Ireland and the T20 against Pakistan on May 5 but was hurt in Kent’s Royal London One-Day Cup match against Glamorgan on Thursday, with Foakes called up in his place.

Billings is due to see a specialist later on Friday to determine the full extent of the problem, which saw him treated with oxygen on the field before being taken to hospital in Cardiff.

With England’s first-choice wicketkeepers Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow both being rested, Foakes has got the call after some outstanding recent form in the One-Day Cup.

On Thursday he made 71 from 80 balls against Middlesex, his third half-century in as many games.

The call-up gives him another chance to impress after being named Man of the Series in his maiden Test tour of Sri Lanka last year – seizing his chance after injury sidelined Bairstow.

Though he was not in England’s World Cup squad, Billings had been looking to press his claims for selection as a batting reserve.

Instead, his first Kent appearance of the season after a stint in the IPL with the Chennai Super Kings was cut short in the opening over.

He now joins a list of injury concerns for England which also includes Eoin Morgan, Jason Roy and Joe Denly.

Morgan is dealing with sore shins, while both Roy and Denly have suffered back spasms.

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.