Cook in line for Test debut as England ask Essex to rest him

England have asked Essex to rest seamer Sam Cook this weekend, putting him in line for an England Test debut.

Cook, 27, has been one of the standout performers in county cricket in recent seasons and will sit out the County Championship match against Worcestershire, which starts on Friday, to manage his workload.

England play Zimbabwe in the first Test of the summer from 22 May and have injury concerns around a number of fast bowlers.

Mark Wood and Olly Stone are long-term absentees with knee injuries while Brydon Carse and Chris Woakes are yet to play this season because of toe and ankle issues respectively.

There have long been calls for Cook, an accurate right-arm bowler, to be given a Test debut after his prolific county form.

He has taken 318 wickets at an average of 19.77 in first-class cricket.

Cook also impressed on England Lions' tour of Australia in the winter. He claimed 13 wickets in three matches, including three in the first-class match against a strong Australia A side.

England managing director of men's cricket Rob Key and selector Luke Wright have both publicly praised Cook in recent weeks.

Last year, Key said Cook would have been the replacement had Woakes been injured at the end the summer, filling the role as another skilful fast-medium bowler with England keen to have variety in their pace attack.

Gus Atkinson, England's leading wicket-taker in 2024, will play his first match of the season for Surrey this week.

Josh Tongue, who can bowl at a higher pace and played his last Test during the 2023 Ashes, will also feature for Nottinghamshire, having taken seven wickets in their season opener against Durham as he continues his return after a series of injuries.

There is hope Jofra Archer will return to red-ball cricket this summer but he is currently at the Indian Premier League. England do not plan to recall players from that competition early and the group stage ends four days before the Zimbabwe Test.

Durham seamer Matthew Potts, who played in England's last Test in New Zealand in December, is another option.