Jordan Cox, a 24-year-old wicket keeper-batter for Essex, is preparing for Post-Pandemic Cricket to arrive on the scene after a game or two. On Tuesday, he’s getting a scan to evaluate the damage to his side. This injury he picked up at a meeting against Somerset. It seriously threatens his place in England’s Test team for their next match, against Zimbabwe next week.
Cox eventually retired hurt on day three, having scored 103 runs. It was his first century of the season and what an impressive innings it was. He jubilantly cheered the arrival at three figures, but was almost immediately deflated. Just moments later, he walked off the field, bothered by a left oblique injury he suffered while hitting a left-handed stroke. He failed to come back into play when the game ended on Monday, prompting concerns about his health.
Chris Silverwood, the director of cricket at Essex, said of the injury moment.
“We all heard the moment it happened when he gave a cry after playing a shot,” – Chris Silverwood
Cox’s performances have had a wide swing this season. He had a brilliant launchpad with 371 runs against Worcestershire. He has been scuffling recently, not scoring more than 26 runs in his past seven swings. Despite this lack of consistency, it has made his place in the national team all the more tenuous.
While Cox waits on an update about his injury, talk about who might replace him has already started. One of the surprise names on the list is 20-year-old Durham opener Ben McKinney, who has quickly established himself as a strong candidate. Jacob Bethell, who was called up in Cox’s absence for the series against New Zealand, shined with fifties in all three Tests, further complicating Cox’s chances for selection.
Even with this recent disappointment, Silverwood seemed bullish on Cox’s prospects, recognizing the younger keeper’s talent and flash for further England call-ups in the future.
“It is too early to say how serious it is. We should know more tomorrow,” – Chris Silverwood
As the cricket community waits for further updates on Cox’s condition, the focus shifts to his recovery and the potential impact on England’s upcoming fixtures. That scan on Tuesday is going to be a big deal. It’ll determine whether Cox can get back into the high-level competitive play she craves or requires more time away from the game to regroup.
“Jordan doesn’t seem to have much luck when it comes to England call-ups, but his century here on a testing pitch showed just what a good player he is,” – Chris Silverwood
As the cricket community waits for further updates on Cox’s condition, the focus shifts to his recovery and the potential impact on England’s upcoming fixtures. The scan on Tuesday will be critical in determining whether Cox can return to competitive play or if he will need to take time off to recover.
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