No timeframe for Woakes return

Nicholas McGee

No timeframe for Woakes return image

England seamer Chris Woakes has not put a timeframe on when he will be able to make his return from injury.

Woakes played five games in England's dreadful Cricket World Cup campaign but was ruled out of the tour of the West Indies due to an injured metatarsal.

Questioned on his recovery at the launch of the T20 Blast, the Warwickshire bowler said: "It's going well. It's been quite slow progress to be honest with you.

"It's actually been nice to have that break and being ruled out of the West Indies tour has given me that little bit of extra time to get it right.

"It feels good, I've been full weight bearing for about three weeks now. I started running this week, it's hard to actually put a timeframe on when I actually make my comeback because it depends how it [his injured foot] reacts to bowling."

England were criticised for their conservative style of batting at the World Cup, with the more successful teams adopting an aggressive Twenty20-style approach to the 50-over competition.

Asked whether the national side would benefit from England's domestic T20 competition being condensed into a three- or four-week period, Woakes added: "I think it would be a chance to get more international players to play in our domestic competition.

"I think that would be good because a lot of international players in the England team don't really get to play much cricket for their counties, particularly at the Twenty20 level.

"So I think it would be good to see the international guys get more of a chance to do that. And I think the only way you would be able to do that is by having a block. So it does make sense."

Nicholas McGee