James Anderson has been named in England’s 30-man training camp for the Test series against the West Indies.
The Burnley pace bowler was first selected in an initial 55-strong party and has been back training under Covid-19 restrictions.
The 37-year-old is one of five Red Rose players in the group alongside Jos Buttler, Keaton Jennings, Matt Parkinson and Saqib Mahmood with the England and Wales Cricket Board producing a long-list of players who will be in contention for the red-ball team.
The first match of the series takes place at the Ageas Bowl from July 8 with the second and third matches at Old Trafford on July 16 and 24 respectively. The tourists have also been quarantined at the Red Rose’s home since their arrival in the country last week as part of the restrictions around the series.
With such a large group to manage, head coach Chris Silverwood and assistant Graham Thorpe have been handed a reinforced backroom team using head coaches from the county network with Lancashire’s Glen Chapple, who came through the ranks at Earby, mentoring the pace bowlers.
His assistant Mark Chilton and second XI boss Chris Benbow will take charge of the Red Rose players while he is on international duty, the 46-year-old expected to return for the start of the domestic season later in the summer. Lancashire’s director of cricket Paul Allott said: “We’d like to offer our congratulations to all five players involved in the behind-closed-doors training squad and wish them the best as they press their case for inclusion in the Test series.
“We are also pleased for Glen to be able to take up a coaching position with England.
“It is an excellent development opportunity before he returns to Lancashire for a prospective county season during the summer."
The England group will convene at the Ageas Bowl on June 23 and remain on site as they work towards an intra-squad match on July 1-3. That will provide a final chance to earn selection to face the Windies.
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