England Pace Bowler Atkinson Suffers Concussion

Gus Atkinson added to concerns over England’s pace bowling by suffering a concussion during Surrey’s County Championship match against Nottinghamshire.

In the week England could name their squad for the first Test against New Zealand, Atkinson was twice struck on the head by international team-mate Josh Tongue.

Batting in Surrey’s first innings at Trent Bridge, Atkinson was hit in successive Tongue overs – with the second blow particularly nasty.

BBC Sports reports that the 28-year-old was assessed on both occasions and batted on. He eventually called for more treatment and retired on 27, replaced in the match by Reece Topley.

“Gus passed the tests on the field, otherwise he would not have been able to stay out there,” said Surrey head coach Gareth Batty.

“He felt like he was OK, but duty of care comes into it. I don’t know the ins and outs of what exactly happened but it clearly came to a point where he had to come off. He’s OK in himself.”

Atkinson’s injury came on the same day as England team-mate Ollie Pope did not appear to bat for Surrey until number 10 because of a hand injury.

England, who are set to confirm Australian Marcus North as their new national selector, will soon name a squad for the first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s that begins on 4 June.

While much speculation has centred on which players could come into the batting line-up, England’s pace-bowling department is looking depleted.

Atkinson and Tongue appeared to be the most likely specialist seamers to be in the squad, along with two or three others.

Jofra Archer might not be ready to play Test cricket following his spell at the Indian Premier League and Brydon Carse has a broken wrist. There is no timetable for Mark Wood’s return from a knee injury and Chris Woakes retired from international cricket last year.

Atkinson’s Surrey team-mate Matthew Fisher was called into the Ashes squad but another Surrey bowler, Tom Lawes, has missed two Championship matches through injury.

England could end Ollie Robinson’s international exile or ask Essex’s Sam Cook to add to the one cap he won against Zimbabwe last year.

Hampshire’s Sonny Baker has a central contract and has been in good form at the start of the season, while Lancashire’s Mitchell Stanley is highly rated.

England captain Ben Stokes has played his first game of the season for Durham, opening the bowling in his first Championship match in almost two years.

Stokes has recovered from the quad injury he suffered in the fifth Ashes Test and the horrific broken cheek sustained in an accident while he was coaching the Durham academy.

The all-rounder took two wickets in 8.5 overs in Worcestershire’s second innings to go with the two wickets in 20 overs he took in the first.

After being out for 14 on Saturday evening, Stokes was not required to bat in the second innings as Durham chased 143 to win by nine wickets.