WOAKES IS COMING OF AGE WITH ENGLAND

CHRIS WOAKES assumed the mantle as elder statesman of England's attack after Jimmy Anderson's retirement and admitted: "It makes me feel incredibly old."

- MIKE WALTERS

At 35, the 'Wizard' is suddenly the wise owl in a unit shorn of 1,308 wickets by the final curtain falling on Anderson at Lord's on Friday and Stuart Broad's exit last summer.

Woakes (above left, with Anderson) could win his 50th cap in the second Test against West Indies at Trent Bridge on Thursday after taking a break following the death of his father, Roger, two months ago.

He is making no assumptions about making England's Ashes squad in 2025-26, mainly because his record in away Tests (36 wickets at 51.89 each) is much poorer than at home (114 wickets at 22.04).