Unwell Ben Stokes misses England training ahead of third Test vs New Zealand

Stokes was absent while the rest of the squad trained ahead of Thursday's first day of the final Test in the three-match series. An England and Wales Cricket Board spokesperson indicated that Stokes had tested negative for Covid-19 on Tuesday morning. Stokes is being kept away from the group as a precautionary measure.

The 31-year-old, in his first Test series as skipper, will be assessed again ahead of Wednesday's net session. Later on Tuesday, England batting coach Marcus Trescothick tested positive for Covid. The ECB said Trescothick is "currently in isolation at home and is being monitored daily.

Details of his return to the England set-up will be announced in due course." Stokes hit 75 from 70 balls in the second innings of England's second Test victory over New Zealand at Trent Bridge. That was England's second successive win against the Test world champions, clinching their first Test series triumph since January 2021. New Zealand have had several positive Covid cases in their squad over the last couple of weeks.

Black Caps skipper Kane Williamson was forced to miss the second Test after testing positive on the eve of the match in Nottingham. As well as Williamson, the tourists have seen Henry Nicholls, Devon Conway, Michael Bracewell and two members of their backroom team return positive results since arriving in England. All four players are fit and available to play in Leeds this week.

While England hope to avoid a Covid outbreak, twin brothers Jamie and Craig Overton are dreaming of a potentially taking the field together for the hosts at Headingley. The 6ft 5in seam-bowling siblings are on stand-by should England decide to rotate their pace attack with the series already won. For the uncapped Jamie, who is