Ben Stokes 'progressing well', Jofra Archer to meet medical consultant this week: ECB

Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer. Pics/AFP

All-rounder Ben Stokes is progressing well from his fractured left index finger and is set to return to action next month for Durham in the Blast competition, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Tuesday.

Fast bowler Jofra Archer, who was ruled out of the Test series against New Zealand, will meet with a medical consultant later this week to determine the seriousness of his right elbow soreness.

"Jofra Archer is to see a consultant this week to understand the severity of his right elbow injury. He struggled in Sussex's Championship fixture last week and he wasn't able to bowl on the final two days of the match," England men's head coach Chris Silverwood said in an official statement.

"We need to get this resolved once and for all to give him the best chance of being fully fit as we build up to an intense winter, which will include a T20 World Cup and the Ashes. We need him firing in all formats of the game," he further said.

Stokes was ruled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 before the tournament was postponed. Silverwood said the all-rounder is making "excellent progress".

"Ben Stokes is making excellent progress following his fractured left index finger sustained last month in the Indian Premier League," said Silverwood.

"If he continues to improve without any impact on his rehabilitation, we could see him return next month for Durham in the Vitality Blast competition. We will assess him again towards the end of this month," he added.

Meanwhile, England named a 15-player squad for the two-match Test series against New Zealand starting at Lord's on June 2.

Multi-format players Moeen Ali, Jonathan Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran and Chris Woakes have been rested after completing a quarantine period following the cancellation of the Indian Premier League earlier this month.

Gloucestershire wicketkeeper-batsman James Bracey and Sussex seamer Ollie Robinson have been called up to the Test squad for the first time.

England and New Zealand are slated to lock horns in a two-match Test series, which gets underway on June 2. England Test squad will report to its London base on May 28.

England squad: Joe Root (capt), James Anderson, James Bracey, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Dom Sibley, Olly Stone, Mark Wood.

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