ECB asks 55 players to resume training anticipating resumption of cricket

World Cup-winning skipper Eoin Morgan, and the pace duo of James Anderson and Jofra Archer are among 55 England players who have been asked to resume outdoor training to prepare for cricket behind close doors amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has added 37 names to the list after 18 bowlers resumed individual training last week, focussing on Test cricket.

Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett and Joe Clarke are some big names who do not feature in the 55-man list for the time being.

The ECB confirmed that the players have been asked to return to training, "as England Men prepare for the prospect of behind-closed-doors cricket, subject to UK Government clearance."

The Board said it continues to work closely with its county partners to provide a safe and efficient return to practice for players.

Other big names who have been asked to resume training include Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid, Tom Curran, David Willey, and Sam Billings among others.

The ECB said squads for specific formats will be announced in due course.

"The pool of players will give selectors strong options when it comes to selecting squads across formats further down the line, as we move closer to our aim of playing international cricket this summer," ECB Performance Director Mo Bobat said in a statement.

"We will need to continue to work closely with our medical team and government to ensure that our return to training and play activities are in line with best-practice guidelines," he added.

List of players

Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Tom Banton (Somerset), Dom Bess (Somerset), Sam Billings (Kent), James Bracey (Gloucestershire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Henry Brookes (Warwickshire), Pat Brown (Worcestershire), Rory Burns (Surrey), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Brydon Carse (Durham), Mason Crane (Hampshire), Zak Crawley (Kent), Sam Curran (Surrey), Tom Curran (Surrey), Liam Dawson (Hampshire), Joe Denly (Kent), Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire), Laurie Evans (Sussex), Ben Foakes (Surrey), Richard Gleeson (Lancashire), Lewis Gregory (Somerset), Sam Hain (Warwickshire), Tom Helm (Middlesex), Will Jacks (Surrey), Keaton Jennings (Lancashire), Chris Jordan (Sussex), Tom Kohler-Cadmore (Yorkshire), Dan Lawrence (Essex), Jack Leach (Somerset), Liam Livingstone (Lancashire), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Dawid Malan (Yorkshire), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Craig Overton (Somerset), Jamie Overton (Somerset), Matt Parkinson (Lancashire), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Ollie Robinson (Sussex), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Phil Salt (Sussex), Dom Sibley (Warwickshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), Olly Stone (Warwickshire), Reece Topley (Surrey), James Vince (Hampshire), Amar Virdi (Surrey), David Willey (Yorkshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Mark Wood (Durham).

Image credits: AP