Gus Atkinson withdrawn from Hundred final as ECB prioritizes England’s Test series

Gus Atkinson will miss the final of The Hundred after being withdrawn by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to prepare for England's upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka. Atkinson, who had a standout debut series against the West Indies, taking 22 wickets and being named Player of the Series, will not play for Oval Invincibles in Sunday’s final at Lord's.

Atkinson has only played once for the Invincibles this season, taking 0 for 28 in a recent match against Trent Rockets. With his withdrawal, Saqib Mahmood, who has performed exceptionally throughout the tournament, will stay in the side. The Invincibles will also be missing Spencer Johnson due to injury, but Tom Curran will return after a rest.

The ECB is being cautious with player availability following Ben Stokes’ hamstring injury, which has ruled him out for the rest of the summer. Chris Woakes has also been withdrawn from the tournament. However, Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett (both from Birmingham Phoenix), and Jordan Cox (Invincibles) are still available for the weekend’s matches leading up to the Test series.

Invincibles’ captain Sam Billings expressed disappointment at Atkinson’s absence but emphasized the opportunity for young players like Jordan Cox to gain valuable experience. “It’s a great chance for Jordan to play in a final at Lord’s, which is excellent preparation for international cricket,” Billings said.

Jofra Archer, carefully managed after injury issues, is expected to be available for both the eliminator and the final if Southern Brave qualify. Brave captain James Vince anticipates no restrictions on Archer’s playtime during the knockouts.