Gay, Rew and Baker called up to England Test squad and Robinson in from cold

Emilio Gay, James Rew and Sonny Baker are nan 3 uncapped players successful a 15-man England squad for nan first Test against New Zealand adjacent month. Ollie Robinson returns to nan setup aft a two-year absence.

As portion of nan wash-up from nan Ashes, England person a caller selector successful Marcus North – now confirmed – and vowed to salary much attraction to region form. Gay, averaging 92 nether North astatine Durham this season, and Rew, 22 years aged and having already scored 12 hundreds of years for Somerset, fresh nan measure successful this regard.

Which of nan brace makes nan last XI for nan first Test – which originates astatine Lord’s connected 4 June – remains to beryllium seen pinch nan only evident vacancy successful nan apical 7 astatine opener. Ben Duckett has kept his place, having rediscovered his shape astatine Nottinghamshire aft a mediocre Ashes tour, but Zak Crawley has been dropped aft early-season struggles pinch Kent. Ollie Pope besides misses out, having made measurement for Jacob Bethell successful Australia.

Gay has been batting astatine No 3 successful Division Two this season, but has past acquisition of nan job, while Rew has chiefly been a wicketkeeper-batter successful nan mediate order, making his runs successful Division One. Rew opened for nan first clip successful his profession past week, against Glamorgan, only to make scores of 4 and zero.

Baker is competing for nan seam-bowling spots successful nan last XI, pinch nan 22-year-old having taken 14 wickets astatine 26.21 for Hampshire this season. Brydon Carse is retired injured and Jofra Archer will beryllium fixed clip to recalibrate erstwhile he returns from nan Indian Premier League, meaning nan onslaught will beryllium refreshed.

Rob Key, England men’s squad director, said: “Emilio, James and Sonny person each earned their opportunities done accordant performances and person impressed america not only pinch their talent, but successful high-pressure situations.”

Surrey’s Matthew Fisher, unused during nan Ashes aft being called up mid-tour, has kept his spot successful nan squad, but Matthew Potts misses retired contempt playing successful Sydney. New shot duties look apt to spell to Robinson and Gus Atkinson unless Ben Stokes decides he wants a alteration of domiciled pinch nan ball.

Sonny Baker is among England’s seam bowling options. Photograph: Andy Kearns/Getty Images

Either way, nan return for Robinson is surely eye-catching. The 32-year-old has been overlooked since nan one-off Test successful India successful 2024, pinch his 76 wickets astatine 22 apiece trumped by concerns complete his attack to fitness.

A 15-man squad for a location Test lucifer is excessive, but astatine slightest gives Stokes and nan caput coach, Brendon McCullum, plentifulness of options arsenic they reset nan side. Even nan domiciled of spinner remains open, England having retained Shoaib Bashir, but besides recalled Leicestershire’s Rehan Ahmed arsenic a much all-round option.

On nan assignment of North, who will seemingly beryllium portion of nan action sheet alternatively than starring it, Key said: “Marcus stood retired done his knowledge of nan home game, his acquisition crossed different environments and nan relationships he has built passim region cricket complete a agelong play of time.”

North, who leaves Durham aft six years arsenic head of cricket, said: “Having spent nan past respective years moving intimately wrong nan region game, I person seen first-hand nan spot and extent of talent crossed nan home system.

“I’m looking guardant to moving intimately pinch nan counties successful identifying, supporting and selecting players who tin thrive astatine International level.”