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Poms draft new paceman into Ashes squad

England have drafted another paceman into their Ashes squad after an injury to fast bowler Jake Ball.

Jake Ball of England sits on the groung injured
Fast bowler Jake Ball may be out of the Ashes series after suffering ligament strain to his ankle. (AAP)

England have summoned another fast bowler with paceman Jake Ball's first Ashes Test hopes appearing dashed.

The tourists will add Sussex seamer George Garton to their squad after scans revealed Ball suffered ligament strain in an ankle while bowling in the tour match against a Cricket Australia XI in Adelaide on Thursday.

England have already sent fast bowler Steve Finn home because of a knee injury, calling up Tom Curran as his replacement.

Ball is in doubt for England's next assignment, a four-day tour match against a CA XI in Townsville starting Wednesday.

Should the tall quick miss that game, he's long-odds to be selected for the first Test against Australia starting November 23.

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On Saturday, the tourists need three more CA XI wickets for victory in the pink-ball Adelaide fixture - the home side will resume at 7-70, chasing 268 to win.

An England team statement on Saturday said scans showed Ball had strained ligaments in his right ankle.

"The England medical team will assess the injury over the next seven days and he will play no further part in the Adelaide match," the statement said.

"National selectors have called up England Lions and Sussex left-arm seamer George Garton as cover in Townsville for the final warm-up match."

Garton had been selected in the Lions squad for a two-week training camp in Queensland - that squad arrived in Brisbane on November 14 - before also playing games in Perth.

England's Ashes squad is resigned to being without Ben Stokes for the Test series. He remains at home pending the outcome of a police investigation into a street fight in late September.

And spinning allrounder Moeen Ali is yet to feature on tour as he struggles with a side strain.


2 min read

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Source: AAP



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