England pay tribute to key workers with names on training shirts ahead of West Indies Test

Each England player is wearing a shirt with the name of a key worker on the back
Getty Images for ECB

England’s cricketers are wearing the names of key workers on their training shirts before today’s First Test against the West Indies, to pay tribute to their efforts in fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

The three-match series, which begins this morning at the Ageas Bowl, is being played behind-closed-doors at bio-secure venues because of the outbreak.

Local cricket clubs have nominated a range of teachers, doctors, nurses and carers, who will each receive the signed shirt afterwards as a thank you.

With Joe Root missing the First Test to be at the birth of his second child, all-rounder Ben Stokes is captaining the side and said: “We’re only able to play this Test match because of the amazing job that key workers up and down the country have done to help us through this pandemic.

“Wearing their names is a real honour for us, and is a small sign of our appreciation for the incredible work they have done. They have truly gone in to bat for us all, and it makes me proud of how the whole cricket family has responded to help us get through these unprecedented times.”

Stokes is wearing the name of Dr Vikas Kumar, a specialist in anaesthetics and critical care at Darlington Memorial Hospital.

“The past four months have been very difficult, but it was a wonderful surprise to find out that Ben Stokes of all people is wearing my name on his training shirt,” Dr. Kumar said. “So many of my colleagues at work and at the cricket club have been working so hard and made big sacrifices, so this is for them as well.”

The list of key workers

  • Ben Foakes – Emily Blakemore, Nurse
  • Olly Robinson – Dr Nasir Ali, Emergency Medicine Consultant at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital
  • Jofra Archer – Joe Wheatley, Paramedic
  • Jack Leach – Ollie Clarke, NHS volunteer
  • Olly Stone – Holly Buxton, Organiser of the COVID-19 Community Workforce for the elderly
  • Dominic Bess – Wendy Morris, Nurse
  • Mark Wood – Susan Bainbridge, NEAS Ambulance Volunteer
PA
  • Stuart Broad – Chris Tall , Care Home Worker
  • James Anderson – Tom Field, Nurse Practitioner
  • Dan Lawrence – Richard Freeman, Police Officer
  • Joe Denly – Anna Tunnicliff, A&E Sister
  • Zak Crawley – Debi Armstrong, Specialist Nurse
  • Craig Overton – Dale Hardy, Head Teacher at Sir Robert Pattinson Academy
  • James Bracey – Harikrishna Shah, Clinic Coordinator
  • Chris Woakes – Dr Samara Afzal – Doctor
  • Ben Stokes – Dr Vikas Kumar, Specialist in Anaesthetics and Critical Care
  • Saqib Mahmood – Kishan Aghada, Physiotherapist 
  • Sam Curran – Victor Hinds, Hospital Distribution Officer
  • Ollie Pope – Yahya Hafejee, Support Leader at Department for Work and Pensions
  • Rory Burns – Sharmyn Kennedy, Teacher
  • Jos Buttler – Dr Jamasp Kaikhusroo Dastur, Surgeon
  • Dom Sibley – Mohammed Banaris, Operations Manager for G4S and ran COVID-19 testing centre
  • Chris Silverwood – Matthew Rammell, Respiratory Physiotherapist
  • Graham Thorpe – Dr Chris Boyson, Doctor
  • Phil Scott – Chantel Jacklin, Healthcare Assistant

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