Seamer Josh Tongue has changed Moeen Ali in England’s group for the second Ashes Test towards Australia at Lord’s. Spinning all-rounder Moeen suffered a burst blister on his proper index finger within the slim two-wicket defeat within the collection opener at Edgbaston. Worcestershire paceman Tongue, 25, is most popular to the categorical tempo of Mark Wood — whose profession has been blighted by accidents — for the match, which begins on Wednesday. Seamer Chris Woakes and leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed had been additionally missed in choice of Tongue, who impressed with a maiden five-wicket haul on his debut towards Ireland earlier this month.

“We needed to get to Lord’s first and see what conditions we were faced with,” England captain Ben Stokes mentioned on Tuesday.

“We wanted to play Mark Wood but we felt while he could definitely start the game, we felt an extra week of build-up and loading him would give him a better chance to play fully from Headingley (third Test) onwards.

“And we introduced Tonguey into the group as a like-for-like with Woody. I’m trying ahead to seeing Tonguey proceed his nice begin he had towards Ireland right here.

“Me and Mark are great friends, we go back a long way…I spoke to him about how I’d want him to operate in this game and he was very honest with me. He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to give what he’s known for throughout this Test match. So the decision was made to allow him to keep building his body up to give himself the best opportunity to go out from Leeds onwards to play a full part.”

Speaking about Moeen, Stokes added: “We turned up here and have seen a lot of grass on the wicket, it is a bit green.

“Traditionally Lord’s affords extra for seamers and with how Mo’s finger has recovered, really recovered very well, I believed we’d get extra with 4 seamers and went with Tongue.”

Meanwhile all-rounder Stokes said he had suffered no adverse reaction from a longstanding knee problem after bowling at Edgbaston.

“Being in a position to bowl that longer spell on the final day was one other confidence enhance for me,” he said. “At the second, issues are trying good and hopefully I can play much more of a component with the ball on this sport.”

England group for second Ashes Test at Lord’s:

Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jonny Bairstow (wkt), Stuart Broad, Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue, James Anderson

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