England suffer double injury blow as Zak Crawley and Dillon Pennington are ruled out of three-match Test series against Sri Lanka – with Dan Lawrence, Jordan Cox and Olly Stone named in 14-man squad

Dan Lawrence will open the batting for England on his return to Test cricket later this month after Zak Crawley was ruled out of the series against Sri Lanka with a fractured finger.

Surrey’s Lawrence was the spare batsman in the squad that defeated West Indies 3-0 last month and will partner Ben Duckett at the top of the order, with the uncapped Jordan Cox – ironically the player signed by Essex last year to replace the Oval-bound Lawrence – coming into a 14-strong squad that also features Olly Stone for the first time in more than three years.

It is anticipated that Crawley will be fit for October’s Test tour of Pakistan, having sustained the break dropping a slip catch in England’s 10-wicket win at Edgbaston just over a week ago.

Lawrence’s 11 Test caps pre-date Ben Stokes’ tenure as captain, and he has previously featured at 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 for England. However, his promotion to makeshift opener is in keeping with a policy of picking players on performance rather than position.

The 27-year-old has scored his 584 runs at a strike rate of 75 in the County Championship this summer, while ex-Kent player Cox, 23, has an average of 69 and strike rate of 67.

Dillon Pennington (pictured) has also been ruled out due to a hamstring injury

Dan Lawrence (pictured) is set to open the batting in the absence of Crawley

Jordan Cox (pictured) has been called into the squad and could make his Test debut

Fast bowler Olly Stone (pictured) has earned a recall following Pennington’s injury setback

Stone, 30, replaces Nottinghamshire team-mate Dillion Pennington, a non-playing member of the squad versus the Windies who injured a hamstring while playing in the Hundred.

The recall is reward for Stone’s decision to have a back operation in 2021.

‘The main reason for that surgery was to be back and available for Test cricket. I’ve had taste of it and then my body has given up on me, so this was the last resort to keep that dream alive,’ he told Mail Sport last year.