sport news Olly Stone is on a mission to represent England in the Ashes trends now
If he lines up in this summer’s Ashes, Olly Stone acknowledges his ‘last resort’ career decision will have paid off.
It is now 18 months since Stone, 29, opted for a back operation knowing it represented his only road to a Test future. So far the signs are extremely promising.
His body appears to have responded well to two screws being inserted in his lower spine and, at a time when international players are being paid small fortunes for whistle-stop Twenty20 jaunts, it is refreshing to hear the enthusiasm Stone has for the long game and the greatest series of them all.
Olly Stones is starting to perform at his best 18 months after undergoing back surgery
The fast bowler has two screws put into the bottom of his back to save his Test match future
‘I try not to look too far ahead because I have thought of the future before and then you pick up an injury and you’re disappointed but an Ashes summer is exciting,’ said Stone.
‘I had a tiny experience of it back in 2019 when picked for one Test but it’s something I want to be a part of and also to go Down Under in a few years’ time and play one there. That’s what I’m aiming towards.
‘The main reason for that surgery was to be back and available for Test cricket. I’ve had taste of it and then my body has given up on me, so this was the last resort to keep that dream alive.’
He is targeting a role in the upcoming Ashes series, but doesn't want to look too far ahead
After suffering a fourth stress fracture of the back in the summer of 2021, after winning his third Test cap, Stone had surgery at the Wellington Hospital adjacent to Lord’s in his bid to win a fourth.
Circumstances, including a fractured finger last summer, mean he is yet to play a first-class match since but his reward for adhering to a cautious comeback schedule came just before Christmas with a place on the upcoming two-Test tour of New Zealand.
‘England had just finished the series in Pakistan and I woke up to a message from Brendon McCullum saying it would be good to chat. He called me and congratulated me on being in the squad, said he looked forward to meeting me and getting stuck in,’ said Stone.
‘His energy on the phone, even the way he told me, instantly made me want to be a part of it. I have seen on TV how exciting it looks.’
