Surrey's Zafar Ansari injured after first England Test call-up

Sport360 staff 06:58 16/09/2015
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  • Debut in doubt: Zafar Ansari.

    Zafar Ansari suffered an open dislocation of the thumb on his bowling hand just hours after earning a first call-up to England’s Test squad.

    The Surrey all-rounder was named in the 16-man travelling party heading for the United Arab Emirates at the end of this month to take on Pakistan in three Tests along with fellow uncapped players Alex Hales and Adil Rashid.

    However, less than five hours after the announcement, Ansari was bound for hospital after being struck on the left thumb while attempting to take a sharp catch in the field for Surrey in their LV County Championship Division Two match at Old Trafford.

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    The 23-year-old’s county, who face Gloucestershire in the Royal London One-Day Cup final at Lord’s this Saturday, revealed the extent of the injury on Tuesday evening.

    A post on their Twitter account read: “Latest on Zafar Ansari is he has a open dislocation of the left thumb and the injury will be reviewed over the next couple of days.”

    The injury occurred when Ansari was fielding at cover-point and attempted to hold on to a chance given to him by Lancashire’s Ashwell Prince off the bowling of Sam Curran.

    Ansari immediately looked in pain having shelled the opportunity and called for medical assistance, with Surrey’s director of cricket Alec Stewart acknowledging his player was in distress.

    “It didn’t look good,” Stewart admitted at stumps.

    “He’s gone off to hospital to see a hand specialist. It’s his left thumb and he was in quite a bit of pain. Fingers crossed for him but, seeing him in the dressing room, it’s certainly a concern.

    “Obviously with the announcement (on Tuesday) morning he was in a great place. He’s earned that right, and he offers England something they haven’t got. If he gets in that environment I think England will be very impressed with him. Let’s not speculate now. Hopefully we’ll get some news sooner rather than later.”

    Hales and Ansari both spelled out in earlier interviews that they are desperate to prove their Test credentials this winter.

    Nottinghamshire opener Hales has been picked ahead of Adam Lyth, the Yorkshire batsman who played all seven Tests this summer but struggled badly for form during the Ashes – while, if fit, Ansari offers a third spin-bowling option alongside Moeen Ali and Rashid.

    Hales is already a regular of the limited-overs side but has been rewarded for an upturn in his first-class output over the past two seasons.

    He will vie with Moeen for the chance to partner Alastair Cook at the top of the order – a job that has got the better of Nick Compton, Joe Root, Michael Carberry, Sam Robson, Jonathan Trott and Lyth in the three years since Andrew Strauss’ retirement.

    Ansari is the most junior member of the squad – with May’s rained-ruined one-day international in Ireland his only previous England experience.

    Meanwhile, national selector James Whitaker confirmed that Ben Stokes – an ever-present across the formats this summer – is the latest recipient of a break from limited-overs cricket – stood down from the 50 and 20-over series against Pakistan.

    James Taylor was named in both Test and one-day parties, leaving Gary Ballance – dropped two games into the Ashes but tipped for a swift return – as the odd man out.

    Chris Jordan, Stephen Parry and James Vince are all selected as T20 specialists for the three-match series

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