England Withdraws Woakes from Competition

Chris Woakes has been ruled out for the remainder of the Hundred season as England prioritizes managing his workload. This decision comes on the heels of a significant injury setback for the national team, as Ben Stokes was forced to leave the field with a hamstring injury while playing for the Northern Superchargers. Stokes is scheduled for a scan on Tuesday, but early indications suggest he may miss the first Test against Sri Lanka, set to begin on August 21. The potential absence of both Woakes and Stokes poses a serious challenge for England's squad depth ahead of the Sri Lanka series. The team is already grappling with injuries, including Zak Crawley, who has been a consistent presence under the leadership of Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum but is now sidelined with a finger injury. Additionally, Dillon Pennington, a promising fast bowler, has been called up but is also a doubt due to a hamstring issue. In response to Crawley's injury, England has opted to select Dan Lawrence to open the batting, despite his lack of experience in that role. Lawrence has been part of the squad for some time, including the recent tour of India, but has yet to earn a Test cap. To bolster the middle order, Jordan Cox has been called up for his first opportunity, and with Stokes' injury, he may find himself in action sooner than anticipated.