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Tongue set for Lord's debut as England leave Woakes out

Josh Tongue is set to make his Test debut this week Philip Brown/Getty Images

Josh Tongue will make his England Test debut against Ireland on Thursday, with Chris Woakes left out of the side.

Tongue, the 25-year-old Worcestershire seamer, was initially drafted into the squad last Wednesday as cover for James Anderson and Ollie Robinson who were nursing groin and ankle niggles, respectively. He will now make his international bow at Lord's.

Anderson and Robinson were ruled out of this week's match by head coach Brendon McCullum on Monday, and Mark Wood returned home on Tuesday evening to spend time with his family following the birth of his second child last week.

While Woakes was initially expected to the side for the first time in 14 months - especially after being put up for media duties at Lord's on Tuesday - Tongue has stolen a march on him.

Speaking on Tuesday after the announcement of the team, Tongue, who will be Test cap number 711, said: "It's an amazing feeling. [I'm] speechless, really. Even from when I got the first call-up to be in the squad... now being in the actual team, it's just a dream come true really.

"Baz came up to me just before training finished today. I had just finished a gym session, actually, and he came up to me and gave me the good news.

Tongue shot up a long-list of bowlers on England's radar after impressing on Lions debut in February of this year, taking 5 for 34 and 3 for 77 against Sri Lanka A, watched by managing director Rob Key.

His red-ball experience overall has been limited, and he has 11 wickets in Division Two this season. One of those was Steve Smith, trapping him LBW for 30 and thus becoming the first English bowler to dismiss him this summer.

Tongue's inclusion was the only surprise in England's XI, with Ben Stokes carded to bat at No. 6 and Jonny Bairstow returning to the side at No. 7 and keeping wicket.

More to follow...

England XI vs Ireland: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Matthew Potts, 10 Josh Tongue, 11 Jack Leach.