Injuries force Ollie Pope to keep wicket in Australia second innings

Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow have both undergone scans for hand injuries suffered earlier in the fourth Test

Ollie Pope will keep wicket for England in Australia's second innings in Sydney due to injuries to Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow.

Pope is not a regular keeper at county level for Surrey but kept in the Hamilton Test in New Zealand at the end of 2019. He was dropped from the England team after the second Test of this series but has been on and off the field since as a substitute fielder.

The Hamilton Test was only the sixth first-class game which Pope has played as the designated keeper. He has not done so since.

Buttler has had an x-ray after sustaining a blow to his left index finger keeping wicket on day two. Though the England camp say they are still evaluating the injury, Buttler was clearly uncomfortable when attempting to bat on day three and is most unlikely to play in the final Test in Hobart.

Bairstow, meanwhile, has been for a scan and x-ray after he was hit on the right thumb when batting on day three. While he went on to record England’s first century of the series, he was clearly in some pain. The England management are keen not to exacerbate the injury by asking him to keep wicket in this game. He could still play in the final Test.

^{Ollie Pope has kept wicket before for England, when injuries forced him into the job on a tour of New Zealand in 2019 (Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)}

England announced on the third evening of the game that they had called up the Kent keeper, Sam Billings. But Billings, who has been playing for Sydney Thunder in the BBL, has to travel to Sydney, undergo Covid testing and serve a quarantine period in the hotel. He is not expected to be available until the final Test in Hobart where he could well make his Test debut.

Ben Stokes was also sent for a scan on the fourth morning to determine the severity of his side injury. While the results are still pending, he will not bowl again in this match and is unlikely to feature in Hobart.

England's options for replacement players are limited. Those involved with the Lions tour, including the likes of Ben Foakes and Alex Lees who might well be vying for selection for the Caribbean Test tour, went home several weeks ago while England had also asked the players involved in the T20 tour to the Caribbean to return home by January 7.

Billings was about to depart when he was asked to stay by the England management.

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