BECKENHAM: England opener Emilio Gay has been added to the Professional County Club Select XI (PCC) squad for a three-day warm-up fixture against Pakistan ahead of the first Test.
The match was originally scheduled as a four-day game starting on Wednesday, but the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) reduced it to three days following an agreement between the two sides.
Gay hurt his right shoulder while playing for Durham against Middlesex in the One-Day Cup last week.
The left-handed batter first experienced discomfort in the sixth over before aggravating the injury at the start of the seventh while playing a straight drive off Toby Roland-Jones.
He was assessed by a medical team, prompting him to leave the field after scoring nine off 17 deliveries.
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A scan last week confirmed the injury and put his participation in the tour match in doubt.
However, Gay has now been included in the squad alongside Shoaib Bashir and Matthew Fisher.
Bashir has played just twice for Derbyshire in the One-Day Cup over the past month but remains highly rated by England selector Marcus North.
The 21-year-old is unlikely to feature against Pakistan, with England expected to select four seamers and use Dan Lawrence’s off-spin as they adjust their side following Ben Stokes’ retirement.
The PCC Select XI will be coached by Mike Yardy, England’s Under-19 head coach. The side would normally be overseen by the England Lions head coach, but that position is currently vacant following Andrew Flintoff’s abrupt resignation on Friday.
PCC Select XI squad
Tom Haines (c), Shoaib Bashir, Luc Benkenstein, Caleb Falconer, Matt Fisher, Emilio Gay, Nathan Gilchrist, Josh Hull, Manny Lumsden, James Rew, James Sales, Charlie Tear, Noah Thain, Saif Zaib.
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