Steve Finn to play ahead of Jake Ball in the opening Test against Sri Lanka

England captain, Alastair Cook has confirmed that Steve Finn will play as the third seamer in the first XI in the opening Test against Sri Lanka at Headingly. Finn gets a nod ahead of newbie Jake Ball.

With England having selected just a 12-man squad, Cook named his side 24 hours before the start of a match, with the first of a three-Test series against Sri Lanka due to get underway at Headingley, Yorkshire’s headquarters ground in Leeds, northern England, on Thursday.

Ball was called up into the 12-man side and looked set to play in place of Finn, who has been struggling with inconsistency and minor injuries. But his record of 113 Test wickets at an average of just over 28 apiece saw him chosen ahead of Ball in the race to be England’s third seamer behind James Anderson and Stuart Broad.

“Steven Finn is going to play,” Cook told reporters at Headingley on Wednesday. “He’s been outstanding when he’s been fit for us. I think everyone kind of knew that.”

Finn’s career has been marred by injury problems in recent times. He was forced to miss the World T20 in India earlier because of calf and side injuries.  Ball has made a strong start to the county season with Nottinghamshire and Cook said: “It was great to have Jake along and he’s made a big impact this year in county cricket.

“It’s great for the guys who haven’t really seen much of him to get to know the guy and he can certainly bowl.”

England will though give a debut to James Vince. The Hampshire batsman will fill the vacancy caused by James Taylor’s retirement with a heart condition.