England receive fitness boost with opener Emilio Gay expected to be fit for Test series against Pakistan after he suffered shoulder injury scare while playing for Durham
Emilio Gay is expected to be fit for the first Test against Pakistan, starting on August 19 at Headingley, after concerns eased about the shoulder injury he sustained on Friday playing for Durham.
Gay, who made his Test debut against New Zealand in June, scoring two half-centuries in the three-match series after replacing Zak Crawley at the top of the order, had retired hurt clutching his right shoulder during Durham’s 50-over game against Middlesex at Chester-le-Street.
But Daily Mail Sport understands a scan on Saturday revealed no serious damage, allowing Gay to resume his embryonic opening partnership with Ben Duckett as England’s Test team embark on their latest new era.
Emilio Gay appeared to hurt his shoulder in an innocuous incident during Durham’s One Day Cup match against Middlesex
Had Gay been ruled out of the Headingley Test, England would have drafted in a new opener from outside the 16-man squad, with Durham’s Ben McKinney and Glamorgan’s Asa Tribe among the contenders.
That would have further altered a top three already disrupted by the absence of Jacob Bethell, who will miss the Pakistan series after injuring his knee during the recent one-day series against India. Jordan Cox will bat at No 3 instead.
Gay is missing Durham’s one-day match against Essex at Darlington today as a precaution.