England have received a massive boost with quick Jake Ball expected to beat an ankle injury ahead of the first Magellan Ashes Test.
Ball went down a week ago and was put in a moon boot when he sprained his right ankle in a warm-up match in Adelaide, sparking fears he’d miss the Test after England had already lost Steve Finn to a knee injury and Ben Stokes to off-field matters.
But Ball edged closer to a startling recovery on Friday, fielding for England in their tour match against a Cricket Australia XI in Townsville, as they moved to within seven wickets of victory after piling on 515 with the bat in their last match before the Ashes.
“If he’s going to be available to play next week, then he needs to spend some time on the field,” assistant coach Paul Farbrace said.
“Hopefully he gets some overs today, a few more overs tomorrow.
“He’s going to bowl 15 overs in the nets tomorrow and give himself a great chance of being selected next week.
“He’s absolutely, definitely (in the mix for the first Test).”
Ball made his England debut last December and while yet to impress, his first-class average of 26.33 shows his ability to swing the ball at speed.
It means he will likely battle with Craig Overton for a final pace-bowling slot, with one of the pair set to join Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad and James Anderson in a four-pronged attack.
Overton failed to deliver on his impressive first-innings form in Townsville on Friday and went for 0-32 from seven overs in the second innings as he often pitched too short.
But with 17 scalps across three warm-up matches, the right-arm swing bowler is England’s equal-leading wicket-taker and Farbrace said he’d impressed as he pushed for a Test debut.
“The way he’s bowling, the way he’s taking his place in the side has been outstanding for us,” the England assistant said.
“He gives us something that perhaps we haven’t otherwise had.”
In more good news for England, James Anderson appears to have overcome an early-week illness that ruled him out of training on Tuesday.
