By Sam Hathaway
August 3 2006

England have today announced that Nottinghamshire wicket keeper will replace Geraint Jones for the third test against Pakistan. Although most fans will be pleased with the inclusion of Read, the news is also suprising as Jones has impressed with the gloves in recent games.

David Graveney has also said that the injury Jones suffered was not an issue in the inclusion of Read.

"Geraint has kept very well this summer, but he has been short of runs."

Read has previously played for England but was dropped for Jones back in 2004 due to his poor batting record but it now seems the opposite has occured now. He has impressed this season with the bat scoring 601 runs for his county at an average of 42.92, with three centuries.

Read said: "I felt that I kept well in the West Indies two years ago, but I knew that if was I going to get back in the Test side I would have to work on my batting because I hadn't scored enough runs.

"So I made a conscious effort to look at my batting and analyse where I can improve.

"I have worked hard with the help of Mick Newell and Paul Johnson at Nottinghamshire as well as the staff at the ECB National Academy.

"Things have gone well for me and I feel that I have reaped the rewards by scoring well in both first-class and one-day cricket over the last couple of seasons."

Jones impressed early on in his England career scoring a century in his third game but since then has rarely got over 50 and the selectors believed it was time for a change.

Chairman of selectors David Graveney said: "The key factor for the selectors was his form with the bat and we believe that he will benefit from having a break from international cricket and spending more time in the middle with his county."

Jones will know he has to improve if he is to win his place back in the side;

"It's a blow to lose my place, but the selectors have explained the reasons why and I will be working extremely hard to win it back.

"I have been very pleased with my wicket-keeping this summer but I am also conscious of the fact that I am in the side as a batsman as well as a keeper.

"Your performances in Test matches are always going to come under intense scrutiny and what I need to do now is recapture my best form away from the international arena.

"It's up to me to go back to Kent, and as soon as my finger has recovered, look to score plenty of runs and put myself back in the frame for the Ashes this winter."

England fans will hope read can impress with the bat and gloves as he has done for his county as England take on Pakistan in the third test on Friday.