England pick controlled pace over extreme as Josh Tongue gets Lord's nod over Mark Wood

Worcestershire pacer Josh Tongue has been named in England's XI for the second Ashes Test at Lord's, which begins on Wednesday, June 28, after Moeen Ali was ruled out due to a finger injury sustained at Edgbaston last week.

Tongue's involvement in England's plans has aroused a few eyebrows despite his recent success at the same venue against Ireland. During the match, he grabbed 5 for 66 in the second innings, contributing significantly to a ten-wicket victory. His aggressive style brought an element of unpredictability to England's attack on a sluggish surface.

The England XI has only one change from the team that lost by two wickets in the first Test at Edgbaston. James Anderson, who had a poor outing in his comeback game after a groin injury, has been retained, as have the previous match's star seamers, Ollie Robinson and Stuart Broad.

Mark Wood, widely regarded as England's fastest bowler at the moment, has been ignored once again, probably due to Tongue's ability to produce long spells, which compensates for the lack of a specialist spinner. Joe Root, who took on a substantial chunk of the spin-bowling duties at Edgbaston, including overs leading up to the new ball on the last day, will do so again for the squad.

📋 We can confirm our team for the second Ashes Test match at Lord's.

Congratulations, Josh Tongue 🤝 #EnglandCricket | #Ashes

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 27, 2023

Despite a fine performance at Lord's against Ireland earlier this month, the 25-year-old cricketer's selection comes as a surprise. Tongue demonstrated his abilities by recording a remarkable second-innings spell. 

His unrelenting aggression could potentially aid England, and his selection in the squad seems a welcome change to England's bowling assault.

England's XI for Lord's Test: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jonny Bairstow (wk), Stuart Broad, Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue, James Anderson