England opener Ben Duckett is due to play his maiden Test at his home ground at Trent Bridge when the second Test against the West Indies begins on Thursday. However, his availability for the game is uncertain as his partner Paige is expecting their first child.

If Duckett does miss the game, Dan Lawrence is expected to come in the left-hander’s place in Nottingham, for England’s first Test in the post-James Anderson era.

Also, should Duckett start the Test, there is the potential for him to leave for part of it.

“There is a plan in place for Ben and his partner,” England skipper Ben Stokes said on Wednesday.

“We’ll have to make a decision if it was to happen before the game and we were batting. But if it happens during the Test, Ben will go and come back into the team.

“He is incredibly desperate to play this Test match, but the message from me and Baz (head coach Brendon McCullum) is that family comes first. Whatever decision he ends up making, he knows he will get our full support,’ Stokes added.

The skipper also confirmed that pacer Gus Atkinson, who recorded a 12-wicket match-haul on debut at Lord’s last week in the opening Test, will share the new ball alongside Chris Woakes, for whom it will be his 50th Test cap.

The Windies are set to go unchanged despite the innings defeat at Lord’s. There’s some relief for them as pacer Shamar Joseph has been pas­sed fit after struggling with his left hamstring in the first Test.