England take on New Zealand in three tests, starting at Lord’s on June 2 live on Sky Sports Brendon McCullum remembers James Anderson and Stuart Broad after the pair missed March’s Test series loss in the West Indies; Harry Brook and Matthew Potts receive the first calls
The England team sees Stuart Broad called up, Ben Stokes as skipper and Harry Brook called up.
James Anderson and Stuart Broad have been called up in Brendon McCullum’s England first team to face New Zealand in a three-Test series next month, with Harry Brook and Matthew Potts receiving their first calls.
Anderson and Broad, England’s leading wicket-takers with a combined 1,177 Test wickets, return in the 13-man squad, captained by Ben Stokes, after sitting out a 1-0 Test series defeat at West Indies in March.
Yorkshire Brook Batsman and Durham Potts Sealer are called up to the Test side for the first time.
Brook has been the standout hitter in Division One County Championship so far this season, scoring 758 runs at an average of 151.60. He made his Twenty20 International debut for England in January.
Potts has been the season’s leading bowler, with 35 wickets and four hauls from five wickets in Division Two, including last going 7-40 in Durham’s win over Glamorgan.
“This is the start of a new era for our test team under the guidance of Ben (Stokes) and Brendon (McCullum),” said Rob Key, managing director of England Men’s Cricket.
“With a combination of youth and experience, we have selected an exciting team that can compete with New Zealand in next month’s test series.
“We have awarded players at Harry Brook and Matty Potts who have made an outstanding start to the county season, and deserve the opportunity to claim a place at this level.
“It promises to be a delightful series and I can’t wait for the team to start against a very good team from New Zealand. It’s a fascinating prospect for everyone involved with the sport in this country.”
The 13-man team was selected by Key, McCullum, Stokes, Mo Bobat (director of performance), James Taylor (head of scouting), and David Court (lead of player identification).
Matthew Fisher, Dan Lawrence, Matthew Parkinson and Ollie Robinson were left out after being included in the West Indies team.
Saqib Mahmood, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood are currently injured.
The three-match test series forms part of the ICC World Test Championship, with England currently bottom of the standings. New Zealand won the first edition of the championship in 2021.
The team will meet for the first time next week at a camp before reporting to London on May 29 ahead of the first test on June 2.
Ben Stokes (Durham) captain
James Anderson (Lancashire)
Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire)
Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire)
Harry Brook (Yorkshire)
Zak CrawleyKent
Ben Foakes (Surrey)
Jack Leach (Somerset)
Alex LeesDurham
Craig Overton (Somerset)
Matthew Potts (Durham)
Ollie Pope (Surrey)
Joe Root (Yorkshire)
Watch Brendon McCullum’s first series in charge of England live on Sky Sports, as his team take on New Zealand in three tests, starting at Lord’s on June 2.
