Uncapped Crocombe added to England Test squad

Uncapped Sussex pace bowler Henry Crocombe has been called into England’s squad for the second Test against New Zealand as cover for Ollie Robinson.

Robinson, who took seven wickets on a brilliant return to Test cricket in the first-Test win at Lord’s, experienced knee soreness after a training session on Saturday and will have a “precautionary” scan on Sunday.

The second match of the three-Test series starts on Wednesday at Trent Bridge.

Crocombe, 24, has taken 21 wickets at an average of 28.61 in seven County Championship matches for Sussex this season and claimed 4-65 for England Lions against South Africa A last month.

England are without seamer Gus Atkinson and captain and all-rounder Ben Stokes for the Test, which begins on Wednesday, after they were involved in an incident in a nightclub.

Crocombe has never been included in an England squad but has been namechecked by England coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Rob Key in recent weeks.

Josh Tongue, Jofra Archer, Sonny Baker and Matt Fisher are the other seamers in the squad.

Who is Henry Crocombe?

Crocombe’s selection may raise eyebrows, given other recent picks such as Essex’s Sam Cook and Durham’s Matthew Potts have been overlooked, but it should not be a big surprise.

When England named their Test squad at the start of the summer, Key said Crocombe had “really kicked on” this season.

A product of Sussex’s academy, Crocombe was first picked by England Lions in 2024 before struggles with injury.

It was when he began this season with his first five-wicket haul – and nine in the match against Leicestershire – that he began to seriously catch the eye.

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