Will Jacks takes career-best ODI figures after appendix surgery

Will Jacks has described his return from emergency appendix surgery after taking career-best one-day international figures of 5-22 against Sri Lanka at Chester-le-Street on Tuesday. According to BBC Sport, the England all-rounder had initially been given a four-week recovery period, but resumed playing a few days ahead of that timetable.

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His comeback began when he captained England Lions in a warm-up match against Sri Lanka on 11 September. He then appeared in all three matches of England's T20 series sweep before moving into the longer white-ball format. Jacks said in the BBC report that rebuilding his strength and fitness had limited his preparation: he only started bowling five days before his first game back.

The operation also required extra work on his core strength to accommodate the movement involved in bowling spin. Jacks said beginning with T20 cricket helped his confidence because he could bowl no more than four overs in a match. He felt his limited bowling workload during that series had benefited him as he worked his way back into international competition.

At Chester-le-Street, his five-wicket haul was the second-best set of figures by an England spinner in men's one-day internationals, the BBC reported. He also contributed an unbeaten 46 with the bat. England were 211-7 in the 39th over before extending their innings to 265 in the penultimate over, with Jacks remaining at the crease as wickets fell around him.

That innings required patience rather than immediate acceleration. Jacks hit just one four in his first 43 deliveries and said he had reassessed what represented a good total after finding conditions difficult when he arrived. His priority changed to using the remaining overs. The performance came 18 months after his move from opening the batting to a middle-order finishing role in England's T20 and 50-over teams.

Jacks is also serving as Harry Brook's vice-captain for the Sri Lanka series while Jacob Bethell is absent. He said greater security over his place had helped him feel comfortable adapting to different match situations. On a possible Test return, however, he offered no certainty, saying he did not know whether England would want him back and would finish the summer before considering the winter.