Read returns for England

Chris Read © Getty Images

The England selectors have named a 12-man squad for the 3rd npower Test against Pakistan starting on Friday with Nottinghamshire’s Chris Read replacing Geraint Jones behind the stumps.

The Kent wicket-keeper’s omission means Read will return to the Test side for the first time since playing in the first three Tests of England’s tour of the Caribbean in 2004.

Chairman of Selectors, David Graveney, said: “Geraint has kept very well this summer, but he has been short of runs and the selectors feel that this is the right time to make a change.

“We have taken this decision regardless of the injury to Geraint’s finger. The key factor for the selectors was his form with the bat and we believe that he will benefit from having a break from international cricket and spending more time in the middle with his County.

“Chris Read was selected in the England Development Squad earlier this summer and he has also performed well for the A team against Pakistan.

“There is real competition for places in the wicket-keeping department at present and I am sure Chris will want to make the most of his opportunity.”

Read said: “I felt that I kept well in the West Indies two years ago, but I knew that if was I going to get back in the Test side I would have to work on my batting because I hadn’t scored enough runs.

“So I made a conscious effort to look at my batting and analyse where I can improve and have worked hard with the help of Mick Newell and Paul Johnson at Nottinghamshire as well as the staff at the ECB National Academy.

“Things have gone well for me and I feel that I have reaped the rewards by scoring well in both First Class and One-Day cricket over the last couple of seasons.”

Jones said: “It’s a blow to lose my place, but the selectors have explained the reasons why and I will be working extremely hard to win it back.

“I have been very pleased with my wicket-keeping this summer but I am also conscious of the fact that I am in the side as a batsman as well as a keeper.

“Your performances in Test Matches are always going to come under intense scrutiny and what I need to do now is recapture my best form away from the international arena.

“It’s up to me to go back to Kent, and as soon as my finger has recovered, look to score plenty of runs and put myself back in the frame for the Ashes this winter.”

England Test Squad

Andrew Strauss (Middlesex) (capt)
Ian Bell (Warwickshire)
Paul Collingwood (Durham)
Alastair Cook (Essex)
Stephen Harmison (Durham)
Matthew Hoggard (Yorkshire)
Jon Lewis (Gloucestershire)
Sajid Mahmood (Lancashire)
Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire)
Monty Panesar (Northamptonshire)
Chris Read (Nottinghamshire)
Marcus Trescothick (Somerset)